10/16/09

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ The Federal Aviation Administration says a
flight by Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little, Attorney General Lawrence
Wasden and state lawmakers on a taxpayer-owned plane that was
financed by the mining industry didn't violate federal rules.

The FAA held a conference call with Idaho Transportation
Department officials Friday about the Sept. 11 trip to tour
southeastern Idaho phosphate mines.

The Idaho Mining Association is paying $2,543 to Little's office
and will book it as a lobbying expense.

FAA spokesman Mike Fergus in Renton, Wash., said his agency has
concluded the trip on Idaho's 10-passenger King Air didn't meet the
definition of a commercial charter because Little's office arranged
it with the Transportation Department's Division of Aeronautics,
not the mining lobbying group.

Private groups are forbidden to directly charter state planes.

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition questioned the use of public
property for a lobbyist-financed trip, especially since no groups
critical of phosphate mining were aboard.

Little cited his monthly $400 travel budget as one reason for
accepting Idaho Mining Association cash for a trip where he and
other officials gathered information about phosphate mine expansion
and pollution concerns.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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