Who We Are
The Basin Commission is made up of representatives of the State of Idaho, the three Idaho counties in the Basin, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the State of Washington, and the United States of America.
Click Here to See BEIPC Organizational Practices and Procedures
Click Here to See Current Commissioners
Our Story
The Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission (BEIPC) was created by the Idaho Legislature under the Basin Environmental Improvement Act of 2001 (Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 81 – Acrobat PDF) in order to “protect and promote the health, safety and general welfare of the people of Idaho in a manner consistent with local, State, Federal and tribal participation and resources.”
The Commission became operational in March of 2002 with the execution of the order from the director of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and participation of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Benewah, Kootenai, and Shoshone Counties, and the State of Idaho. In August 2002, the State of Washington and Federal Government joined the Commission through the execution of a Memorandum of Agreement (Acrobat PDF) by the seven governments.
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
MOA solidified the Basin Commission’s purpose and authority. Under the MOA, the Commission exists to implement, direct, and/or coordinate environmental remediation, natural resource restoration, and related measures to address water quality and heavy metal contamination. This includes coordinating the completion of the 2002 Record of Decision (ROD) (Acrobat PDF) and the 2012 Upper Basin ROD Agreement (RODA) (Acrobat PDF) in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Act (CERCLA).
Additionally, the Commission coordinates the Lake Coeur d’Alene Management Plan and the remediation of heavy metal contamination at specific mining sites in the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River.
The Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex in northern Idaho is a Superfund Site because of high levels of heavy metals released into the environment by mining operations. Click here for a map of the area and an historical overview of the area since its Superfund designation.