policy scoreboard
Editor's Note: To keep SAF members informed of state society policy activities, Policy Scoreboard is a regular feature in each issue in the Western Forester. The intent is to provide a brief explanation of the policy activity - you are encouraged to follow up with the listed contact person for detailed information.
osaf shares forest issues booklet, drafts new positions
From May 2008 through January 2009, the Oregon SAF Executive Committee approved revised and updated position statements on five important forestry topics: "Salvage Harvesting," "Using Pesticides on Forest Lands," "Clearcutting," "Active Management to Achieve and Maintain Healthy Forests," and "Landslides on Forest Lands." OSAF has compiled these and three other active positions into a booklet titled "A Professional View of Forestry Issues in Oregon." As of this writing, there are plans to send the booklet and other material about OSAF to each of the 90 members of the Oregon Legislature. The booklet also is expected to be useful for sharing OSAF's views with Oregon's newly elected federal representatives and other key policy and decision makers.
OSAF is working on two new position statements, one on "Forestry and the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)," and the other on "Thinning." The increasing numbers and presence of homes and people in Oregon's WUI areas have raised a number of diverse and unique issues for forest policy and management. The position statement on thinning was prompted in part by recent legislative and other policy or management proposals to limit timber harvesting on public lands solely to thinning. In addition, there is concern about the effectiveness of silvicultural prescriptions when relatively arbitrary age- or diameter-based cutting restrictions are imposed by current or proposed policies. All OSAF position statements are available online and draft positions may be posted in the "members only" section. Contact: Paul Adams (), OSAF Policy chair, 541.737.2946.
wssaf policy updates
House and Senate leaders plus Governor Christine Gregoire's office, at press time, are working to complete the 2009-2011 biennial budget to close a projected $9 billion budget gap by the end of the legislative session on April 26. These leaders are proactively trying to deal with sizable reductions in sales and business tax revenues as a result of the recession. Heavy cuts in state agency spending, programs, cost-savings and utilizing $3 billion in federal stimulus funds are being proposed. All agencies are looking at dramatic cuts that will reduce services and could lay off an estimated 8,000 employees statewide.
For example, the Department of Natural Resources general fund budget is proposed to be reduced by almost 25 percent, in addition to budget reductions resulting from lower revenues from state timber sales and other products. The Department of Fish and Wildlife general fund budget reflects a proposed 27 percent reduction.
At the time of this writing, legislative leaders are considering a voter referendum later this summer that could create a one percent income tax on high earners (greater than $500,000) or an increase in state sales tax to offset costs of education and human services needs.
On a brighter note, SB 5562, titled "Protecting the ability of forest landowners to continue active forestry operations", has passed both the House and Senate and has been sent to the Governor.
Biomass has been on the minds of legislative members with two Senate bills pending (SB 5441 and 5442) in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. But recently, these two bills have been rolled into SB 6170ÑEnvironmental Tax Incentives bill. Section 401 of SB 6170 proposes to provide a ramped $0/green ton forest derived biomass incentive credit for business and occupation taxes from October 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010, then a $3/green ton credit from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2013, and a $5/green ton credit from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2015, with up to two years of carry over. This section would expire on June 30, 2015. Sections 402 and 403 of SB 6170 propose to exempt hog fuel transactions from state sales and use tax and would expire on June 30, 2013. Readers are encouraged to go to www.leg.wa.gov to learn about passed and pending legislation. Contact: John Walkowiak (), WSSAF chair-elect.