BOISE, Idaho — “We have not made any deals with Utah on our water; we will never give Utah our water,” said Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle in an interview with Idaho News 6 Senior Reporter Don Nelson.
On Tuesday, we reported that after weeks of interstate tension over Utah’s proposed gas tax and Idaho’s threat to withhold vital water rights connected to the Great Salt Lake’s main tributary, the two state governments appeared to have reached an agreement.
Or did they?
“There’s a lot of press releases down there that somehow Idaho has signed, or there’s some kind of agreement with the water in Utah — not the case — those two are separate issues,” said Speaker Moyle. “In fact, if you look — I think the Governor sent out a press release making that clear, there is no deal.”
Here’s what Governor Little said on his official X page:
On Monday, our sister station Fox 13 Utah reported Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed a Memorandum of Understanding pledging work with Idaho on water issues.
They spoke with Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and Joel Ferry, the state’s Executive Director at the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
See what Idaho lawmakers are saying regarding Bear River water rights: “Idaho’s water belongs to Idaho”
“Instead of tit for tat and going after each other, how can we come together for a positive solution?,” asked Ferry.
Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams said this on Wednesday.
“Usually when you talk water, you talk to a guy and he hits you with either a pony shovel or he hits you with a shotgun and so water is very sensitive, and you can see how sensitive it is, and we’ve got a great relationship with Idaho, I think we’ll continue have one,” said Adams.
As for the Utah gas tax bill at the center of this dispute, the bill now shifts focus to increasing fuel supply by fast-tracking pipeline projects and expanding refinery capacity, and there will no longer be a tax on refineries. And in the end, Idaho consumers should not expect to see a price increase at their gas pumps.
Moyle says that’s true and that could help Idaho at the pump, “But it has nothing to do with water, there is no deal with Utah with our water, none.”
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