The Snake Headwaters Legacy Act has already had a committee hearing but must go through a “markup” that could clarify language and address water-rights issues before proceeding.

The bill would protect about 400 miles of the Snake and its tributaries under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

Barrasso said Monday in a phone interview that he has formally asked leadership on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to move the bill to a markup but to no avail.

“There hasn’t been any markup on any bill in the energy committee since I was sworn in to the Senate on September 25,”  he said.

The committee had already marked up about 25 bills and moved them to the floor, but none of the bills have come up for a vote yet, he said.

“They decided they won’t mark up more until those move,” Barrasso said.

Idaho Sens. Larry Craig and Mike Crapo had registered the only opposition to the bill because of concerns about how it would affect Idaho users, opposition that supporters say is unfounded.

Barrasso has offered to include language in the bill that would explicitly state that Idaho water rights would remain protected.

Barrasso said he has also asked for a hearing before the energy committee for the Wyoming Range Legacy Act of 2007. The bill would protect more than 1.2 million acres of the range, which extends 50 miles from the Hoback Canyon south of Jackson to Big Piney, from future energy leasing and would allow existing leases to be bought and never leased again.

To prepare for those hearings, Barrasso said he has begun to formulate a list of possible witnesses to testify before the committee about the bill’s merits.