Emergency water rights bill heads to Idaho governor’s desk

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Legislation granting an emergency water right when crews are trying to clean up spills in Idaho waterways passed the House on Tuesday and is headed to the governor's desk.

The House voted 70-0 to approve the measure the state Department of Environmental Quality says is needed to prevent someone from contending their water right is being violated due to an emergency cleanup.

The Senate unanimously approved the measure last month.

Emergency crews pulling contaminated water from rivers after such things as tanker trunk crashes is standard cleanup practice.

But removing that water could be violating the state's strict water-rights laws where water distribution is closely monitored.