Budget set for Idaho office that protects imperiled species

The Legislature’s budget-setting committee has approved a 4.8 percent increase to $15 million for the governor’s Office of Species Conservation.

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved the budget that includes $640,000 for salmon habitat grants.

About $13.5 million of the agency’s budget comes from federal money.

The state office works to protect and recover species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.