USFWS, county try to 'coordinate' caribou's cost

PRIEST LAKE — Federal officials say the cost over the next two decades to protect old-growth habitat for endangered woodland caribou in northern Idaho and northeast Washington state will be about $1.5 million.

Commissioners from Bonner County, however, contend,  that the according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s draft economic analysis “does not show the productive harmony between natural and human environment,” and that protecting habitat has already cost North Idaho’s economy $26 million since 2005.

The USFWS has proposed designating 375,544 acres of habitat in northern Idaho and Pend Oreille County in Washington.

The two sides met again on Saturday in Coolin for an open house informational meeting in the morning and public hearing in the afternoon. A far cry from the 200 citizens who came to the first public hearing, around 25 community members were present with a handful of county and state representatives on site as well.

Idaho Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint; state Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake; Boundary County Commissioner Dan Dinning, and Bonner County commissioners Cornel Rasor and Mike Nielsen all made their presence felt at the meeting. Representatives for Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador, and Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and James Risch were also at the meeting.

State Director Brian Kelly and assistant regional director, Terry Rabot, along with various other members of the USFWS, were at the meeting to hear and take into account any comments or concerns before finalizing their proposal. The USFWS made no replies to any information presented to them other than to thank speakers for their involvement.

“The effect on recreation and business at Priest Lake is into the $20-plus million range and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s study shows less than $2 million,” Nielsen said.

He added that the discrepancy is “concerning and simply too far apart.”

Keough called the draft, “understated at best” and the critical habitat designation “changes activities on lands and requirements on them.”

Anderson expressed his fears about what he considers much more pressing issues including the introduction of quagga mussels at Priest Lake.

The USFWS draft economic analysis study was prepared by Industrial Economics Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., using data from public sources like the recent census. The Bonner County commissioners and Idaho State Snowmobiling Association dispute those findings and presented their own analysis drafted by consultant economist Dan Green of Forest Econ., Inc.

The commissioners, and concerned citizens alike, contend the USFWS analysis fails to take into account the full impact on the community due to draft analysts being provided with limited information and being unable to account for the full scope of effects.

Reading from a letter prepared and approved by Bonner County commissioners, Nielsen said “the analysis only considers impact to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service, and does not account for counties with a population less than 50,000. The study also fails to recognize the impact of loss to snowmobiling recreation.”

Nielsen also spoke of how the area had already been “devastated” by the previous designation of critical habitat that led to numerous restrictions or “purple snow” on maps that identified restricted access to recreational activities.

The USFWS continually defends the stance that the designation would have minimal economic impacts and that, “it will not swing any gates open and it will not swing any gates closed. The designation of critical habitat is not in and of itself a closure.”

However, the designation is expected to influence the U.S. Forest Service’s land management at Priest Lake, including forest recreation plans.

The draft economic analysis by Industrial Economics Inc. showed that the timber industry would see the greatest impact, up to $1.22 million with some logging operations possibly seeing delays of up to three years.

Public comments were also taken at the meeting with community members managing to stay respectful while pulling no punches, continually calling the common sense of the designation into question and stating the draft analysis to be “understated and inaccurate” while asking USFWS officials to take into account the analysis presented by Forest Econ., Inc.

Priest Lake resident Mike Sudnikovich told officials that he has “seen 66 years of life and his way of life over the past 15 years has been drastically impacted” due to restrictions and road closures. “When I look at my grandfather’s maps about 90 percent of those trails are gone now,” he said. Adding that if the USFWS thinks there is no impact on the people that they are, “incredibly naive” and “disingenuous” to say so.

Elkin’s Resort owner Bob Davis backed up the thoughts and added that he was “very confused” about what the designation actually entails and that “the final rule is to be based on the best science and commercial info available,” and that goal has not been accomplished. Adding, “the science is very weak in the analysis.” And “That piece of paper is a joke. It means nothing to anyone in this room.”

“Economically this area is dying,” he said.

A large decline to the area’s economy was seen through snowmobiling activities after the 2005 designation. The community forum seemed to all be in agreement that “people will go elsewhere to ride” due to either trails and roads being closed or the misconception that riders are not wanted in the area.

Or even if riders do intend on going to the lake the map systems would be so confusing to read that riders would become frustrated and find other areas to ride and resorts to stay at.

“People who live here are not anti-caribou, Davis said. We’re not against animals, we just want to protect what we love and do here.”

Commissioner Nielsen previously stated that there were around 3,000 snowmobile groomer tags issued at Priest Lake in 2007 and tag issuance slipped to 1,800 last year.

The woodland caribou, considered to be among the rarest mammals in the Unites States, was listed under the endangered species act in 1984. Environmental groups including the Selkirk Conservation Alliance, brought a lawsuit against USFWS in 2002, and a settlement was reached in 2009 requiring critical habitat to be designated.

The USFWS did not designate critical habitat at the time due to a risk of poaching.

The entire Selkirk herd of caribou is estimated to number about 46, although only four caribou were counted south of the Canadian border during an aerial census last winter.

The public has until July 2 to submit comments regarding the USFWS economic study as well as the agency’s proposed critical habitat designation.

The proposal, maps and other information about the southern Selkirk Mountains woodland caribou can be found online at www.fws.gov/Idaho.