FINAL BILL REPORT

                                   SSJM 8024

                             AS PASSED LEGISLATURE

Brief Description:  Petitioning congress for the right to salvage downed timber in the Olympic National Forest.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Conner, Owen, Snyder, Jesernig and Anderson)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

BACKGROUND:

There is a substantial amount of blown-down timber in the forests of western Washington.  With less timber supply available from federal lands, the timber industry needs lumber to maintain forest industry jobs.  One source of that timber supply can come from salvaged timber. 

SUMMARY:

The memorial asks that blown-down timber in Washington's National Forests should be salvaged.  Access to downed timber would make more than 70 million board feet available to local mills.  Carefully supervised removal of downed trees would leave the old growth forest undamaged and reduce wildfire potential and insect damage.  Congress is asked to authorize the Forest Service to offer salvaged timber sales in Washington's federal forests.  The memorial is sent to the President of the United States, to the Forest Service, and to the United States Congress.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate      44    0

House 95    0     (House amended)

Senate      46    0     (Senate concurred)