regulatory prescription to create healthy forests and a healthy economy rep. richard debolt,...
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Regulatory Prescription Regulatory Prescription to create healthy forests and to create healthy forests and
a healthy economya healthy economy
Rep. Richard DeBolt, Washington State Legislature
Timber and Washington’s Economy
• Forest products manufacturing is the second largest sector in the state.
• Forest products manufacturing account for more than 15% of total manufacturing income in the state.
• Employment in the logging, wood product & paper product sectors has been in decline.
• Unemployment in timber dependent counties remains higher than in urban counties
Timber and Washington’s Economy
Timber Industry Employment – 1990 to present
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Jan 90 Jan 95 Jan 00 Jan 04
Natural Resources &Mining
Logging
Wood ProductManufacturing
Sawmills & WoodPreservation
Paper Manufacturing
Timber and Washington’s Economy
Forestland Ownership
Nonindustrial Private19%
Industrial Private20%
Other1%
Tribal6%
Federal44%
State Trust Lands (DNR)
10%
Timber and Washington’s Economy
State - DNR, 456,516, 13%
National Forests/ Federal,
84,822, 2% Private, 2,681,224, 75%
Tribal, 319,118, 9% Other, 40,930,
1%
Volume of Timber Harvested by Ownership FY 2002
In millions of board feed
While the federal government manages 43.6% of the timberlands, only 2% of the timber harvested comes from federal forestlands.
Timber and Washington’s Economy
Statewide Washington Harvests 1970 - 2002
01000200030004000500060007000
1970
1980
1990
2000
mm
bf
Total
Hardwoods
Timber and Washington’s Economy
Forest Products Gross Business Income Trends
$0
$2,000
$4,000
$6,000
$8,000
$10,000
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Lumber & Wood Products Paper & Allied Products
Forestry
Timber and Washington’s Economy
Timber Industry Regulations in Washington
• 1949 - Hydraulics Code Guidelines WDFW• 1969 - National Environmental Policy Act EPA• 1970 - Federal Clean Air Act EPA• 1971 - Wash. Clean Air Act DNR/DOE• 1971 - State Environmental Policy Act DOE• 1971 - State Shorelines Management Act DOE• 1971 - Wash. Pesticide Control Act WSDA• 1972 - Insecticide, Fungicide & Rodenticide Act EPA• 1972 - Federal Clean Water Act EPA• 1973 - State Water Pollution Control Act DOE• 1973 - Federal Endangered Species Act
USFW/NMFS• 1974 - State Forest Practices Act DNR• 1997 Habitat Conservation Agreement with Feds • 1999 Forest & Fish Law DNR• Forest practices rules have been amended and strengthened
thirteen times since they were implemented in 1975.
Timber and Washington’s Economy
Impact of environmental regulations
• Deterioration of forest health
• Higher costs to taxpayer• Fire suppression• Lost revenue for trust beneficiaries• Lost revenue for local government
• Higher risk of fire damage to public and private property
Timber and Washington’s Economy
Prescription for a healthier forest
Recent Legislative Efforts to Improve Forest
Health Changes to the Forest & Fish Law
Stormwater fees on timberlands prohibited
Contract harvesting program implemented
• Statewide forest health legislation
Prescription for a healthier forest
DNRs new preferred alternative plan •10-year plan• Increase in sustained yield • Increase in net revenue •Precommercial thinning in riparian
areas (mainly where hardwoods exist)
•No management in riparian areas other than road access
•Adoption expected this summer
Outlook for timber harvest (DNR preferred alternative)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
mm
bf/
year
Preferred Alternative Current Policy
Prescription for a healthier forest
• Streamline the environmental appeals process
• Improve accountability in rulemaking• Expand “contract harvesting” • Provide emergency powers to
remove of fuel loads in conservation areas
• Allow more flexibility for harvesting of hardwoods in riparian areas.
Prescription for a healthier forest
• Fully fund the Forest Riparian Easement Program to compensate landowners
• Review Forest Practices Act to determine if desired outcomes are being achieved
• Verify federal acceptance of Forest & Fish law by June 2005.
• Revisit and revise Forest & Fish Law to resolve unintended consequences
Regulatory Prescription Regulatory Prescription to create healthy forests and to create healthy forests and
a healthy economya healthy economy
Rep. Richard DeBolt, Washington State Legislature