Trident Sues Idaho to Reverse Payette Land Exchange Denial

Documents obtained by IWF via public records request show Trident LLC, the company proposing to privatize tens of thousands of acres surrounding Payette Lakes, is suing the state of Idaho to reverse the decision made by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) to deny their proposal.

The timestamp of the suit was filed moments before the United Payette steering committee met with IDL and Land Board Staff to overview our own proposal to permanently conserve this same landscape (with no development of mansions and golf courses necessary). IWF’s Brian Brooks sits on this steering committee.

Regarding the lawsuit: we believe it is a lost cause. IDL did their math and sought external advisers who came to the same conclusion- that Trident’s proposal is a non-starter. An acre for acre trade for high value Payette Lake land with land in North Central Idaho’s more remote “timber basket”, is unrealistic. Yet, as we see time and again from out-of-touch monied interests trying to buy up Idaho, facts mean little. Trident is now alleging state officials were biased in their decision making, a sign that perhaps their fact-based objections are founded on shaky grounds.

This is sure to be a big fight and we will keep you informed. In the meantime, IWF is working with United Payette to fulfill IDL’s Payette Endowment Land Strategy to permanently conserve this landscape. No lawsuits needed.

You can review Trident’s legal documents here.

Map of lands proposed for privatization.