'We need some heroes!' Frank VanderSloot speaks at East Idaho Water Town Hall meeting
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- #eastidahonews #water #farmers
IDAHO FALLS - We need some heroes.
That was Frank VanderSloot’s message to a packed crowd during a town hall Wednesday night.
Melaleuca’s Executive Chairman was the introductory speaker at a town hall meeting in the company’s event center about Idaho’s ongoing water dispute. It was an informational meeting designed to provide background and context for the discussion, as well as give people a chance to ask questions and address concerns.
VanderSloot has publicly come out in support of local farmers who faced water curtailment earlier this year over claims they were noncompliant with a state-approved mitigation plan to recharge the Snake River Aquifer.
The May 29 water curtailment order from the Idaho Department of Water Resources would have removed water for about 330,000 acres in eastern Idaho, and impacted groundwater users in Bingham, Bonneville, Jefferson and Clark Counties.
Under Idaho law, surface water users in Magic Valley have senior water rights over groundwater users in eastern Idaho. Groundwater users are required to have a plan for recharging the aquifer during times of shortages.
Earlier this year, the IDWR projected a shortage of 74,100 acre-feet of water for the Twin Falls Canal Company.
The parties came up with a temporary plan last month and were able to avoid a curtailment. Under the temporary plan, groundwater districts will conserve 240,000 acre-feet of water and deliver 50,000 acre-feet of storage water to the Surface Water Coalition to cover the shortage, as stated in the 2015 mitigation plan. The parties also agreed to recognize groundwater districts’ prior water conservation efforts, which the SWC disputed in the past.
Several changes to the 2015 agreement have resulted in litigation in recent years, which VanderSloot heavily focused on during Wednesday night’s forum.
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At the time the agreement was signed, VanderSloot said very few people were aware of it, which is concerning to him.
“Our farmers were told that if they signed this, they would be given safe harbor, that they would not have to close down their farms in the future. The courts haven’t supported that,” VanderSloot said.
Then in 2021, VanderSloot explained the IDWR decided it would no longer recognize groundwater users prior water conservation efforts, leading to years of litigation. The Legislature never addressed the issue so the Supreme Court upheld the department’s decision.
In 2023, the department changed its formula for how it calculates water shortages.
Thank you, Frank!
Thanks for making this meeting available on TH-cam.
Glad to see people stepping up to educate themselves and gather the people to stop this insanity.
Someone has to speak up for the farmers. Especially against Twin Peaks. Everyone needs to put😮 y’all’s differences aside. Help the farmers, without them. We want have food on table. All farmers need water, 💧 just like us. I grew up in the country. My mom grew up on a farm. Need the crops, to feed all of us. Look at the back of cans, see what goes into them-ingredients. Also, look at the ingredients in dog and cat food. Even ingredients in food horses, cows, and etc.
People in congress, get lobbied by lobbyists. It is our turn to speak up. Takes more than one person say something. Because one person cannot do it alone.
Congress has lobbyists. Frankly I beginning to think 🤔 they don’t seem to think 🤔 about us. Just themselves and the companies they represent. The almighty dollar
Are there dishonest and conniving people in our own state of Idaho??? You can bet on it!!! And they are at the highest level of government in this state.
WE WOKE UP TO THIS YEARS AGO!!!! BATTLES ARE HARDER WHEN YOU COME IN LAST MINUTE
Politicians in power in bonneville were there when this all was moving forward, they are going to fight now?
Former Watermaster Ron Carlson can add additional pertinent facts. He should have Been a part of this!!
This situation literally makes me cry. I don't care what he says... The devil's @ work here...we ALL have to fight! I have work the governor several times, and all I get back and see is politics 🤢 I am definitely praying for someone to step up. I will NOT vote for this person again... Please, please Lord God give us someone WITH integrity!
Sounds like an Indian Treaty ha
Nice turnout for the gathering, good job informing the citizenry. The Fourth Estate has an important role, and East Idaho News is fulfilling it. May I suggest citizens conserve every drop of precious water we have, and apply other solutions, such as extracting water from the air, and from the clouds. Drip irrigation, also reclaimation of water, like Israel does and we make tge desert bloom. Come visit Israel, and take home solutions. 🇮🇱🙏🏼💦🇺🇲
🇺🇸💙
"Milagro Beanfield War"
Is this for cobalt by Jervois company funded by DOD money included with Ukraine defense money?
He is good at playing the blame game to keep his community status. All of a sudden Frank is an expert in Idaho water law. What a joke.
What are you doing for the situation?
He’s making an honest effort to help bring awareness to an issue he believes in.
It helps to talk about the issue. Why distract from the message with comments about the presenter?
He literally stated a couple of times that he is not an expert in any of these topics. He has just talked to qualified people who are experts for the last 6 weeks.
😂😂😂😂😂😂