H-3901              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4027

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Representatives Hargrove, Ferguson, Basich, Vekich, H. Myers, Jones, Fuhrman, Kremen, Raiter and Spanel

Read first time 1/22/90 and referred to Committee on Natural Resources & Parks.

@nz

TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service is drastically reducing the timber harvest levels on National Forest lands in Washington state; and

          WHEREAS, The reduction of available timber cannot be made up by the sale of additional timber above sustained yield levels from state trust lands; and

          WHEREAS, The reduction in federal timber harvest will significantly reduce revenues to the state of Washington from virtually all of its major revenue sources:  Sales taxes, business and occupation taxes, and timber harvest excise taxes; and will reduce revenues that support schools and county government from their share of federal stumpage receipts and reduced property tax base; and

          WHEREAS, It is the duty of Congress not just the state legislature to assist local mills, local communities, and all those affected by the log allowable-cut reduction; and

          WHEREAS, Federal, not state, decisions have and will drastically affect the timber industry and all those jobs associated with it; and

          WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service has not been able through any type of program to ensure stability in timber supply or stable long-term management of our nation's forests;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that:

          (1) Congress appropriate funds to assist local communities affected by the allowable-cut reduction; and

          (2) Congress direct its attention to providing funds and direction to the United States Forest Service to achieve intensive silviculture management of those lands left for timber production to fully utilize those lands to produce the wood for our nation's many wood product uses;

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.