As commissioners for Montana’s forest counties, we know firsthand that the sharp decline in timber harvests and timber jobs since the early 1990s has been devastating to our communities. Our forests are at greater risk of burning, our remaining mills are struggling to survive without a predictable and productive timber supply and many of our counties face high unemployment.
We believe Congress must establish a long-term solution that effectively addresses these challenges. That’s why we’re thankful that the House of Representatives recently passed Montana Congressman Steve Daines’ Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act with bipartisan support.
Daines’ bill addresses the core barriers to responsible timber management. It discourages habitual litigation by giving fringe groups that frequently sue for some skin in the game. Specifically, it requires complainants to post a bond prior to filing suit to cover the legal expenses of the U.S. Forest Service if the agency prevails in the court.
Further, the bill brings much-needed flexibility and balance to the environmental analysis of timber projects. It maintains National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and Endangered Species Act consultations, but it streamlines these processes to help ensure that timber projects are not suffocated by red tape.
The reforms are crucial because 40 percent of the recent Forest Service timber sales in Region 1 have been appealed or litigated, leading a top Forest Service official in Washington to acknowledge that obstructionist tactics have played a “huge role” in stalling responsible timber sales. The Forest Service is currently forced to spend much of their time and money “bullet-proofing” environmental analyses due to the threat of appeals and lawsuits. The Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act would lift these needless barriers and empower the Forest Service to implement projects that help prevent catastrophic fires, address insect infestation, expand recreational opportunities and create thousands of jobs in our counties. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that the legislation will more than double timber harvests nationwide and increase the value of timber sales.
Daines’ legislation extends the critically important Secure Rural Schools program through fiscal year 2014. Following the devastating decline in timber production and related jobs, SRS was established in 2000 as a short-term solution to compensate counties with significant National Forest land for their loss in local tax base. The program provides funds for important services, such as our children’s education, road maintenance, and wildfire suppression and prevention.
We are hopeful increased timber harvesting will again generate sufficient revenues for our counties.
We are ready to have healthy forests for our children and grandchildren. We believe Congressman Daines’ Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities would achieve these goals.
Ravalli County Commissioners Jeff Burrows, Suzy Foss, Greg Chilcott, JR Iman, and Ron Stoltz; Granite County Commissioners Scott Adler, Bart Bonne and Clifford Nelson; Lincoln County Commissioners Tony Berget, Mike Cole, and Ron Downey; Madison County Commissioners Dan Happel, Jim Hart, and David Schultz; Mineral County Commissioners Laurie Johnson, Duane Simons, and Roma Zylawy; Powell Couty Commissioners Ralph Mannix, Cele Pohle, and Donna Young