Previously Republican Sens. Mike Crapo and Larry Craig of Idaho had said they did not support the bill because they feared it would affect rights to Snake River water held by farmers in their state. Craig had gone so far as to threaten to put a hold on the bill, essentially blocking its passage, if his worries were not assuaged.

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act – S. 3213 – is a bipartisan collection of bills that have passed through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee during this Congress. It includes the Craig Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act, which would protect 387 miles of rivers and streams in the Snake River drainage under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. It also includes the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, which would prohibit further energy leasing in the Wyoming Range south of Jackson Hole and would allow conservation groups to buy and retire existing energy leases.

Both measures were championed by the late Sen. Craig Thomas and are now sponsored by his successor Sen. John Barrasso.

Sen. Craig “worked with Sens. Barrasso and Crapo for several months this summer to solve a major issue related to Idaho water rights and water delivery,” said Craig’s spokeswoman Susan Irby in an e-mail response to questions. “All parties have agreed upon language that protects Idaho’s water without undermining the objectives of Sen. Barrasso’s Wild and Scenic bill.”

Irby said Craig is “likely” to vote for the package, which is slated for consideration by the full Senate during a lame duck session after the November elections.

Crapo had been less vociferous in his opposition than Craig, who sparred with Barrasso during a hearing of the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Nevertheless, Crapo had said he would continue to represent the objections of the bill’s primary opponent, the Idaho Water Users Association, before the Senate.

“Our office worked with the staff of those who were concerned and at this point in time we support that particular bill and the full omnibus public lands package,” said Crapo’s communication’s director, Susan Wheeler.

Wheeler pointed out that the omnibus bill includes the Owyhee Initiative, which would designate 517,000 acres as the Owyhee-Bruneau Wilderness, release 199,000 acres of wilderness study areas to nonwilderness multiple use management and designate 316 miles of Wild and Scenic rivers in Idaho, a measure Crapo has been working on for almost a decade.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he will try to bring a bill that includes protections for the Wyoming Range and the Snake River to the Senate floor in November.

Barrasso said he is “cautiously optimistic” the bills will pass.

“I am hopeful that the Senate will tackle them during this congressional term,” Barrasso said. “While activity in the House chamber is more difficult to judge, I will continue to push for Wyoming’s priorities.”

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., who heads the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has said he believes he has the 60 votes needed to push the bills through a filibuster or hold.

Attention now turns to the U.S. House, which has not announced plans for a November session, though Washington insiders say a lame duck on the House side is all but inevitable as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues discussion of a second economic stimulus package and other major legislation.