At the south end of Priest Lake, the Coolin Wetlands are one of only 13 Idaho wetlands given Idaho Fish and Game’s top Class 1 rating. These roughly 60 acres of peat bog filter water, store snowmelt, control flooding, and shelter rare wildlife, and they connect directly to the lake. A developer has sought since 2021 to build a 35-lot subdivision along the shoreline without the public review Idaho law requires. In July 2026 the Idaho Supreme Court unanimously ruled against that approach, and it reaffirmed the ruling in August. The case now returns to district court.
The fight isn’t over. The developer still needs a federal Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before any wetland can be filled. Visit coolinwetlands.org to sign the petition and find contacts for the officials making these decisions.