Industry Update

June 25, 2021

Fire Season: It is heating up out there. Dry spring weather and current high temperatures means increased fire risk. Click on this link for a video on this season's fire outlook.

The Idaho Department of Lands is currently fighting the Little Pine Fire near Priest River. Visit their Fire News Feed site for up to date information.

OSHA recently updated its COVID 19 guidance regarding masking and vaccination status. Click on this link for guidance regarding policies for workplaces with mixed vaccination statuses.

Sat Phones: If you use Isatphone Pro satellite phones and are having trouble keeping the software updated and the phones working, we might have a good resource for you. One of our members found plans from a company called Pivotel which allowed them to keep using their current Isatphone Pro phones. Contact: Andy Cool, Pivotel America, (954)763-8650 x12109.

ID-55: To accommodate holiday travel, both lanes on ID-55 will be open July 2nd through July 5th. Stay up to date on this project visit https://itdprojects.org/projects/id55smithsferry/

SAVE the DATE: The IOGA Annual Meeting and Conference will be held on December 2nd and 3rd at the Red Lion Downtowner in Boise. The THAW Fundraiser will be held at the Red Lion on the evening of December 1st. Book a room with the room code IOGA1129 and get a discount! Information on registration and vendor booths is in the works.

River Sector

  • The Nez Perce Tribe was awarded a grant to form a collaborative to implement watershed improvement work in the Little Salmon Watershed. They hope to bring together invested stakeholders to identify and implement improvements. The first meeting of the collaborative was held June 10th. For more information visit https://littlesalmonriverwatershedcollaborative.com/

Legislative Update

  • Great American Outdoors Act: The Northern Region and Intermountain Region of the Forest Service is convening a virtual information sharing session about implementation of the Great American Outdoors Act on National Forest Systems lands within Idaho on Tuesday, June 29th from 11AM-Noon Mountain Time. Follow this link to register for the Zoom meeting, after you register you will be sent a confirmation email with instructions on joining the meeting. The sharing session for Montana will be Tuesday, June 29th from 1PM-2PM Mountain Time, follow this link to register.
  • America Outdoors (AO) testified at a Remote Hearing to the House Natural Resources Committee on June 8th. The testimony focused on the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR). IOGA continues to work closely with AO on national issues and we signed on to the testimony and asked Congress to honor the bipartisan history of this bill and find a path to restoring broad support. The bill now goes to mark up where the House Committee will make amendments and vote whether or not to send them to the House floor. Click on this link to read the testimony
  • The INVEST in America Act was introduced, it contains a short-haul exemption for recreational activities operating small passenger vehicles. Congressman Simpson was instrumental in getting this important exemption this far, fingers crossed the momentum continues.
  • IOGA is collaborating with AO to monitor the progression of the $15/hr minimum wage at the national level and work for the best solution for the outfitting and guiding industry.

Upcoming Meetings

Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board Meeting: August 10-11, 2021

Idaho Fish and Game Commission Meeting: July 13-14, 2021