03/18/05 Two bills on private property rights

Idaho Congressmen Mike Simpson and Butch Otter say a proposed bill will protect property owners and species by improving the critical habitat designation under the Endangered Species Act. Otter says its one step toward making the 31-year-old law more practical and effective. OTTER "When we make these decisions that basically violate the Fifth Amendment right to private property we have got to have some science rather than just somebody's idea that it would be a good place for some bug to live or something." The bill would also require the Fish and Wildlife Service to consider economic impacts and consult with local entities before designating lands as critical habitat areas. Otter is also backing a bill to keep the federal government from expanding its western land holdings. The No Net Loss to Private Lands Act would require the federal government to sell land of equal or greater value before it can acquire more than 100 acres in any state where Uncle Sam controls 25 percent of the land. OTTER "The effort is to stop the tax base erosion. I think we'll get a lot of Western votes and I if we can get the folks in the East a little more educated we'll get some eastern votes for that as well." Voice of Idaho Agriculture