Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Karl Boyd Brooks Papers, 1986-1996
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Karl Boyd Brooks Papers
- Dates
- 1986-1996 (inclusive)19861996
- Quantity
- 18 linear feet, (36 boxes)
- Collection Number
- MSS 235
- Summary
- The Karl Boyd Brooks Papers correspondence, memos, reports, bills, studies, campaign documents, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photos, and other papers, relating to Brooks' service in the Idaho State Senate (1986-1992), his campaigns for office, and his work as legislative and executive director of the Idaho Conservation League (1993-1995). Among the topics addressed in the files are abortion legislation, Idaho water resources, Idaho rivers, Payette River in particular, forest health, grazing on public lands, Native American gaming, and Democratic Party politics in the 1980s and 1990s.
- Repository
-
Boise State University Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
1910 University Drive
Boise ID
83725
Telephone: 2084263990
archives@boisestate.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is available for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Karl Boyd Brooks was born in Boise, Idaho, on August 23, 1956. A graduate of the Boise public schools, he earned a bachelors degree in history (Phi Beta Kappa) from Yale University, a masters degree in international relations from the London School of Economics, and a law degree from Harvard. On his return to Boise in 1983, he went to work as a litigator for Boise Cascade Corporation, a forest products company, and stayed with the company for seven years before moving to the law firm of Holland & Hart in 1990. Active in politics, he was elected as a Democrat to the Idaho State Senate in 1986 representing southeast Boise. In the legislature, he quickly earned a reputation as an environmentalist. He was reelected in 1988 and 1990, but did not seek reelection in 1992. In 1993 he left Holland & Hart and went to work for the Idaho Conservation League, the state's largest environmental organization. He served as the organization's executive and legislative director between 1993 and 1996. Brooks then returned to academe, earning a Ph.D. in history from the University of Kansas in 2000. He has been a professor of history and environmental studies at the University of Kansas since then. He is the author of numerous articles and the book Public Dams, Private Power: The Hells Canyon High Dam Controversy (University of Washington Press, 2006).
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Karl Boyd Brooks Papers document his service in the Idaho State Senate (1986-1992), his work with the Idaho Conservation League (1993-1996), and Idaho politics in general during the 1980s and 1990s. They cover the issues that came before the Idaho legislature during those years, particularly the environment, river protection, abortion, and Native American gaming. Included in the papers are records from Brooks' campaigns for the legislature in 1986, 1988, and 1990, the fullest set being for his initial bid for office in 1986. They reveal a serious, well-organized, campaign by a first-time candidate. Brooks' political papers also document his exploration of bids for higher office. He considered running for the U.S. Senate in both 1990 and 1992 and launched a campaign for Governor in 1994, but ultimately did not enter the primary election for either office. Materials from committees may include Senate bills, House bills, minutes, resolutions, and agendas.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[item description], Karl Boyd Brooks Papers, Box [number] Folder [number], Boise State University Special Collections and Archives.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
1: LegislativeReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1-6 | Legislative Correspondence |
1986-1988 |
| 2 | 1-4 | Legislative Correspondence |
1989-1992 |
| 2 | 5 | Legislative Correspondence, Reapportionment |
1992 |
| 3 | 1 | Investment and Retirement Funds Committee minutes |
1987 |
| 3 | 2-5 | Judiciary and Rules Committee |
1987 |
| 3 | 6 | Transportation Committee |
1987 |
| 3 | 7-8 | Judiciary and Rules Committee |
1988 |
| 3 | 8 | Human Resources Committee |
1989 |
| 3 | 9 | Judiciary and Rules Committee |
1989 |
| 3 | 10 | Judiciary and Rules Committee, Local Government and Taxation |
1990 |
| 4 | 1 | Human Resources Committee |
1990 |
| 4 | 2 | Judiciary and Rules Committee, Idaho Centennial Legislature |
1990 |
| 4 | 3 | Human Resources Committee |
1991 |
| 4 | 4 | Judiciary and Rules Committee |
1991 |
| 4 | 5-6 | Local Government and Taxation |
1991 |
| 4 | 7-9 | Judiciary and Rules Committee |
1992 |
| 4 | 10-13 | Human Resources Committee |
1992 |
| 5 | 1-5 | Environmental Issues |
1987-1992 |
| 5 | 6 | Air Quality |
1990 |
| 5 | 7-8 | Boise Wood Smoke Pollution |
1983-1987 |
| 5 | 9-10 | Idaho Fish and Game |
1988-1992 |
| 5 | 11 | Idaho Forest Management Act |
|
| 5 | 12 | Ground Water |
1989 |
| 5 | 13 | INEL |
1987-1992 |
| 5 | 14 | Land Use |
1988-1989 |
| 5 | 15 | Natural Resources |
1990-1993 |
| 6 | 1 | Outstanding Resource Waters, Middle Fork Salmon River |
1991 |
| 6 | 2 | Payette Lake Property Ownership |
1989-1991 |
| 6 | 3 | Salmon |
1988-1991 |
| 6 | 4 | Salmon Recovery |
1992-1993 |
| 6 | 5 | Saylor Creek Bombing Range |
1992-1993 |
| 6 | 6-10 | Water Quality |
1987-1992 |
| 6 | 11 | Land Management |
1990 |
| 7 | 1-2 | Idaho Natural and Recreation Rivers Act, S1394 |
1986-1987 |
| 7 | 3 | Idaho Protected Rivers Act, S1467 |
1988 |
| 7 | 4-5 | Comprehensive State Water Planning Bill, S1504 |
1988 |
| 7 | 6 | Water Resources Appropriation, S1566 |
1988 |
| 7 | 7 | Comprehensive State Water Plan, H780 |
1988 |
| 7 | 8 | Boise River Plan |
1989-1991 |
| 7 | 9 | California Issues |
1988-1989 |
| 7 | 10-11 | Conservation Groups |
1987-1991 |
| 7 | 12 | Dworshak Hydropower Project |
1989 |
| 7 | 13 | Electrical Consumer Protection Act |
1986 |
| 7 | 14 | Swan Falls Water Rights Agreement |
1987 |
| 7 | 15 | Federal Regulations |
1987-1988 |
| 7 | 16 | Governor's Office |
1986-1988 |
| 8 | 1-2 | Henrys Fork of the Snake |
1986, 1992 |
| 8 | 3-4 | Hydroelectric Power |
1986-1988 |
| 8 | 5 | Idaho Fish and Game |
1987 |
| 8 | 6-8 | Idaho State Water Plan |
1986-1992 |
| 8 | 9 | News articles |
1988-1990 |
| 8 | 10 | Northern Rockies Rover Project |
1989-1990 |
| 8 | 11-12 | Northwest Power Planning Council |
1987-1989 |
| 8 | 13 | Notes |
1987-1989 |
| 8 | 14 | Oregon Waterways |
1972, 1985-1988 |
| 8 | 15 | Pacific Northwest Rivers Study |
1986 |
| 8 | 16 | Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission |
1990 |
| 8 | 17 | Payette River |
1987-1988 |
| 8 | 18 | Power Companies |
1987-1988 |
| 8 | 19 | Priest River Basin |
1990 |
| 8 | 20 | Protected Area Policy |
1988-1989 |
| 8 | 21 | Shoshone-Bannock Reserved Water Rights Settlement |
1990 |
| 8 | 22 | Snake River |
1987 |
| 8 | 23 | Water Quality |
1989 |
| 8 | 24 | Water Resources Board |
1988-1989 |
| 8 | 25 | Water Rights |
1987-1988 |
| 8 | 26 | Wild and Scenic Rivers Act |
1989 |
| 9 | 1-10 | Payette River Plan |
1987-1992 |
| 10 | 1-5 | Migratory Water Fowl Stamp |
1984-1990 |
| 11 | 1-9 | Abortion |
1989-1991 |
| 12 | 1-11 | Abortion |
1978-1990 |
| 13 | 1-3 | Abortion |
1991-1993 |
| 14 | Abortion Notebook |
||
| Folder | |||
| 13 | 4 | 1% Initiative |
1991 |
| 13 | 5 | Associated Taxpayers of Idaho |
1986 |
| 13 | 6-7 | AIDS |
1987-1988 |
| 13 | 8 | Library Theft |
1991 |
| 13 | 9-10 | State Board of Education: Vacancy, John Keiser firing |
1991 |
| 13 | 11 | State Employee Compensation, HCR 40 |
1988 |
| 13 | 12 | Workers Compensation-Agricultural Appeal |
1991-1992 |
| 15 | 1-13 | Indian Gaming: Correspondence, legislation, articles |
1991-1993 |
| 16 | 1-4 | Legislative Scrapbooks |
1987 |
Idaho Conservation LeagueReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 17 | 1-6 | Correspondence |
1993-1994 |
| 18 | 1-6 | Correspondence |
1994-1996 |
| 19 | 1-2 | Speech: Sustainable Development Conference |
1994 |
| 19 | 3 | Speech: Idaho Rivers Symposium |
1994 |
| 19 | 4 | Speech: Leadership Academy |
1994 |
| 19 | 5 | Speech: Liberalism Seminar |
1994 |
| 19 | 6 | Speech: Future of Idaho's Water Resources |
1994 |
| 19 | 7 | Speech: Idaho Environmental Professionals |
1994 |
| 19 | 8 | Speech: Idaho Bombing Range debate |
1994 |
| 19 | 9 | Speech: Wilderness Press Conference |
1994 |
| 19 | 10 | Article: Forest Health guest opinion Idaho Statesman |
1994 |
| 19 | 11 | Speech: Forest Health hearings |
1994 |
| 19 | 12 | Speech: Public Lands class |
1994 |
| 19 | 13 | Speech: Fire, an Aspect of Forest Health (Idaho Rural Development Council) |
1994 |
| 19 | 14 | Speech: Endangered Species Act: The Future (Idaho Water Users Association) |
1994 |
| 19 | 15 | Speech: Public/Private Partnership for Sustainable Use Natural Resources Conference |
1995 |
| 19 | 16 | Speech: Judaism and Ecology |
1995 |
| 19 | 17 | Speech: Environmentalism vs. Progress |
1995 |
| 19 | 18 | Speech: Economic Benefits of Conservation |
1995 |
| 19 | 19 | Speech: Open Space (Soil and Water Conservation Society) |
1995 |
| 19 | 20 | Speech: Conflict Resolution (Range Management Society) |
1995 |
| 19 | 20 | Speech: Idaho Environmental Professionals |
1996 |
| 19 | 22 | Speech: Public Land Heist, Idaho Ag Summit |
1996 |
| 19 | 23 | Speech: Ad Hoc Conservation Politics Task Force |
1996 |
| 19 | 24 | Speech: Wood River Earth Day |
1996 |
| 20 | 1-4 | Conservation politics and policy |
1994-1995 |
| 20 | 5-7 | Forest health |
1993-1994 |
| 20 | 8-9 | Forests: Logging |
1993-1995 |
| 21 | 1-3 | Grazing: BLM Reform |
1993-1995 |
| 21 | 4 | Legislative issues |
1995 |
| 21 | 5 | Owyhee bombing range/Owyhee Canyonlands |
1992-1994 |
| 21 | 6 | Public lands: Defense and attacks |
1993-1995 |
| 21 | 7-8 | Public trust repeal (HB794)/elimination (HB274) |
1995-1996 |
| 22 | 1-2 | Salmon and dams |
1993-1995 |
| 22 | 3-7 | War on the West |
1992-1995 |
| 22 | 8-11 | Wise Use movement/Radical Right |
1993-1995 |
| 23 | 1 | Andrus, Cecil D. |
1994 |
| 23 | 2 | Boise Cascade Corporation: George Harad speech |
1995 |
| 23 | 3 | Boise Grove Hotel construction: Ground contamination |
1996 |
| 23 | 4 | Bruneau Snail controversy |
1995 |
| 23 | 5 | Cascade Reservoir Association, Spruce Creek timber sale |
1994 |
| 23 | 6 | Economics of wilderness |
1993-1994 |
| 23 | 7 | Idaho Department of Environmental Quality |
1995 |
| 23 | 8 | Idaho Department of Water Quality |
1996 |
| 23 | 9 | Idaho Legislature: Environmental voting record |
1993-1996 |
| 23 | 10 | Northwest Earth Institute, Dick Roy |
1994 |
| 23 | 11 | Butch Otter fundraising |
1994 |
| 23 | 12 | Wilderness in Idaho |
1993-1994 |
| 23 | 13 | ICL report: Management of Idaho's State Endowment Lands |
1992 |
| 23 | 14 | ICL report: Sustainable Economics, a Transition for Idaho's Rural Communities |
1993 |
| 23 | 15 | ICL report: The State of Idaho's Environmental Economy |
1994 |
| 23 | 16 | Wilderness Act trip to Washington |
1994 |
| 24 | 1 | Natural Resources News |
1996 |
| 24 | 2 | Press releases |
1993-1995 |
| 24 | 3-9 | News clippings |
1993-1996 |
| 25 | 1 | Executive Director transition |
1994 |
| 25 | 2 | Karl Brooks work reports |
1994 |
| 25 | 3-7 | Board of Directors meetings |
1993-1995 |
| 25 | 8-9 | Staff retreat and planning |
1995 |
| 25 | 10 | Strategic Plan |
1994 |
| 25 | 11 | Legislative report/strategic planning |
1996 |
| 25 | 12 | Lobbying efforts |
1996 |
| 25 | 13 | Personnel policies |
PoliticsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 26 | 1 | Political clippings |
1986-1991 |
| 26 | 2-17 | State Senate campaign |
1986 |
| 27 | 1-4 | State Senate campaign |
1986 |
| 27 | 5-9 | State Senate campaign |
1988 |
| 27 | 10-13 | State Senate campaign |
1990 |
| 28 | 1 | U.S. Senate candidacy consideration |
1990 |
| 28 | 2 | Idaho Attorney General candidacy consideration |
1990 |
| 28 | 3 | U.S. Senate candidacy consideration |
1992 |
| 28 | 4-12 | 1994 Gubernatorical campaign |
1992-1993 |
| 29 | 1-10 | Politics: Idaho |
1986-1991 |
| 30 | 1-2 | Politics: Idaho |
1992 |
| 30 | 3 | Larry Jackson nomination to Tax Commission |
1987-1988 |
| 30 | 4-7 | Legislative authority/Idaho Senate |
1990 |
| 30 | 8-12 | Politics: Ada County |
1988-1992 |
| 30 | 13 | Boise City mayoral contest (Tracy Andrus) |
1990 |
| 31 | 1 | Democratic Study Group (Idaho) |
1988-1989 |
| 31 | 2 | Senate Democratic Cuacus |
1988 |
| 31 | 3 | Gay rights |
1992-1993 |
| 31 | 4 | Albert Gore Presidential campaign |
1987-1988 |
| 31 | 5 | Orval Hansen |
1974 |
| 31 | 6 | Gulf War |
|
| 31 | 7 | Legislative voting records, 1979-1987 |
|
| 31 | 8-9 | Voter analyses |
1986-1992 |
| 31 | 10-15 | J.D. Williams Congressional campaign |
1992 |
| 32 | 1-5 | Idaho politics clippings |
1986-1992 |
| 33-34 | Scrapbooks, State Senate campaigns and Idaho politics |
1986-1989 | |
| 34 | Fundraiser guest book |
1990 | |
| 34 | Calendar |
1992 | |
| 34 | T-shirts |
||
| 34 | Video: Gary Glenn's 1986 Right to Work debate |
1986 | |
| 34 | Video: Karl Brooks 30 second television spot |
1986 | |
| 34 | Video: Karl Brooks/Cheryl Schwartz debate |
1988 |
Personal PapersReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 35 | 1 | Resumes |
|
| 35 | 2 | Daily journal |
1986 |
| 35 | 3 | Legal brief: Phillips v. U.S.A. |
1993 |
| 35 | 4 | Legal brief: Teply v. Lincoln |
1993 |
| 35 | 5 | Idaho Commission for National and Community Service Appointment |
1994 |
| 35 | 6-7 | Holland and Hart Business Development/Indian gaming litigation |
1993 |
| 35 | 8 | Career transition |
1993 |
| 35 | 9 | Jennifer (daughter) |
1994 |
| 36 | Photographs: campaign, hiking/camping, Europe trips, family |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Abortion
- Conservation of natural resources
- Gambling on Indian reservations
- Grazing
- HIV/AIDS
- Idaho--Politics and government
- Idaho. Legislature. Senate
- Political Campaigns
- Rivers
- Water resources development
Corporate Names
- Democratic Party (Idaho)
- Idaho Conservation League
Geographical Names
- Payette River (Idaho)
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographs
Alan Virta
2011; updated 2023
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
