Caribou meeting Saturday at BFHS

Boundary County Commissioners emind the community that there will be another public information meeting 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Saturday April 28, at the library at Bonners Ferry High School.

The meeting and public hearing are being conducted by United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The public meeting portion of the day will allow the community to ask questions and gain clarification of the issues regarding the Proposed Critical Habitat Designation for the Woodland Caribou.

There will be another public hearing from 2 to 5 p.m., Saturday April 28, in Becker Auditorium. People must sign in by 1 p.m.

The afternoon portion will be the formal public hearing, at which time all of the comments taken during that period will be part of the official record.  

“We really encourage our community to attend and give testimony.  This is an opportunity that was granted to the citizens in response to our specific request of USFWS.  We want to thank Brian Kelly, the State Director, for the cooperation that has been shown.  It is now our responsibility as residents to voice our concerns for the record,”  said BC Commissioner Chairman Ron Smith.

There will be no interaction with USFWS during this time. This will allow those that do not wish to submit written comment to have their verbal comments placed in the record.  

If oral comments are given, it will not prevent anyone from submitting additional written comments by the end of the comment period.

According to Boundary County Commissioner Dan Dinning an attorney, experienced with ESA, will assist Boundary County with the preparation of written comments to be submitted prior to the end of the comment period.

“Boundary County will either be in court suing the USFWS or will be in court defending USFWS, regarding their final decision.  Either way we need to be prepared to end up in Federal Court again,” said Dinning.