SENATE BILL REPORT

SJM 8023

BYSenators Amondson, Sutherland, Anderson, Barr, Murray, McMullen, von Reichbauer, Lee, Patterson, Johnson, Vognild, DeJarnatt, Patrick, Madsen, Bauer, Sellar, Smith, Saling, Owen, Stratton, West, Moore, Newhouse, Kreidler, McDonald, Warnke and Hayner

Pertaining to forest lands.

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 30, 1990; January 31, 1990

Majority Report:     Do pass.

     Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Amondson, Vice Chairman; Barr, Benitz, DeJarnatt, Kreidler, Owen, Patterson, Sutherland.

Senate Staff:Vic Moon (786-7469)

                March 3, 1990

House Committe on Natural Resources & Parks

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 10, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The United States Forest Service has withdrawn large acreages from forest production for wilderness areas, roadless areas, protection of threatened species and other programs.  The reduction of timber harvesting on the Olympic Peninsula and in other areas of Washington is substantial and is negatively affecting the timber industry.

SUMMARY:

There are 17,700,000 acres of commercial forest land in Washington State with 51 percent of the land publicly owned.  The federal government owns 5.2 million acres.  At the present time 2,337,000 acres of commercial forest land managed by the agencies of the United States Government have been withdrawn for parks, wilderness areas, and the protection of various species.  The average timber sale volume from Washington national forests has been 1.2 billion board feet, which is 300 million board feet less than the benchmark of volume established by the United States Forest Service.  The National Forest Service plans further reduction in harvest levels from the national forests.

Proposals before Congress call for an additional withdrawal of up to 40 percent of federal harvestable lands.  The reduction in timber volume cannot be made up from the sale of additional timber above the sustained yield from private and state trust lands.  Since over 200,000 Washington citizens are directly or indirectly dependent on forest products, and a 43 percent decline in the Forest Service could mean the loss of over 18,000 jobs, the Legislature requests the Congress to recognize its historic commitment to timber processing communities and maintain the harvest level of at least 1.2 billion board feet.  Congress is asked to direct its attention to providing funds and direction to the Forest Service to achieve more intensive forest management, and Congress is asked to appropriate funds to assist local communities adversely affected by any allowable cut reduction.  Congress is asked to amend the National Forest Management Act to recognize the economic needs of people, communities, and consumers; and to give them equal status with environmental protection.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:   none

Fiscal Note:    none requested

Senate Committee - Testified:   Bruce Beckett, Northwest Forestry Association (pro); Steve Gano, Washington Forest Products Association (pro); Dick Ducharme, Washington Citizens for World Trade (pro)

HOUSE AMENDMENT:

The House striking amendment adds the following concepts to the memorial:

     1.Congress is asked to sustain the traditional predictable and historical average annual timber sale levels.

     2.Congress is asked to reorganize the investment communities have made based on their belief that the Forest Service will produce a stable timber sales level.

     3.Congress is asked to appropriate funds for economic diversification, mill modernization and additional timber manufacturing.

     4.Congress will commit to have the Forest Service use timber management which will produce the highest possible timber yields consistent with prudent land management on all lands which will be used for lands not withdrawn from timber harvest.

     5.Congress is asked to enact capital gains and other tax legislation specifically related to the timber industry which will encourage investment in timber production on private lands.