<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Open Sans";}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5347in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D70131.BBD59140" alt="Graphical user interface, application
Description automatically generated"></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">February 12, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho prioritizes clean, plentiful water to build Idaho’s future<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">By Governor Brad Little<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">There is nothing more essential to our health and way of life – or Idaho’s future – than clean, plentiful water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">The availability of water has transformed much of our state from a desert into an abundant agricultural landscape that supports tens of thousands of Idahoans and their livelihoods.
Across Idaho, water is the building block for careers and prosperity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">How we manage – or mismanage – our water resources determines our success or failure as a state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Unlike the State of California, which continues to a face a water crisis due to mismanagement of its resources, Idaho can say with pride that our executive and legislative
branches in Idaho are in lockstep in our commitment to ensuring a sustainable water supply remains at the forefront of our priorities as a state moving forward. We are equally committed to maintaining and improving water quality in Idaho’s rivers, lakes, and
communities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee moved today to advance a critical piece of my “Building Idaho’s Future” investment package – $50 million in strategic investments
in long-term water projects and safe water systems for our communities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">This investment provides for cleaner, more efficient water systems for rural communities and the agriculture industry across Idaho. It is one of the most significant investments
for sustainable water infrastructure in our state’s history. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Unlike many other states, Idaho is in a position to invest in – rather than cut – financial resources that support a safe, plentiful water supply for current and future generations
of Idahoans.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> Our plan will increase the sustainability of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. The aquifer was declining at an unsustainable rate until recent investments by water users and the state.
Now we have an opportunity to further improve aquifer levels for the benefit of farmers, ranchers, and communities across southern Idaho.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">In addition, Idaho is one of the few states with a U.S. Air Force base that has the ability to significantly expand, and a stable water supply is critical to the base – an
operation that contributes $1 billion annually to Idaho’s economy and ensures our security as a nation. Additional funding enables the State of Idaho to partner with the Mountain Home Air Force Base to secure a stable water supply for current and expanded
missions at the base. This investment demonstrates Idaho’s proud support of a strong U.S. military and the women and men in our armed forces.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho has the strongest economy in the nation, the largest budget surplus in state history, and the most financially solvent state budget because the people of Idaho did
their part to propel our state forward and keep their loved ones safe during the pandemic. Once again, thank you, Idaho.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Our historic investments in agriculture and water today mean rural Idaho will remain a strong part of our heritage and economy for generations to come.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">470 words<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>