Central Oregonian

Senate bill expected to unite both sides of forestry policy

Support for Wyden’s bill continues to grow

Kevin Gaboury

March 19, 2010

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s legislation that would speed up restoration projects on federal forestland in Eastern Oregon is gaining traction in the U.S. Senate.

The Oregon Eastside Forests Restoration, Old Growth Protection and Jobs Act of 2009 received a hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on March 9.

The bill unites players that have historically been on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to forest policy: forest conservationists and timber executives. The bi-partisan effort has received support from members of both major political parties, and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) recently teamed up with Wyden

“This is legislation that I have introduced to get saw logs to Oregon mills, get our forests healthy again, and protect our treasured old-growth forests on the east side of Oregon,” Wyden told the subcommittee. “It is urgent business for rural communities in my state that every single day are walking on an economic tightrope trying to survive.”

The legislation is the result of months of negotiations with leading timber executives - including Ochoco Lumber managing director John Shelk - and leaders from environmental groups and scientists.

“On my watch, what we seek to do is end the timber wars in my home state of Oregon,” Wyden said.

In testimony before the subcommittee, Shelk said implementation of the legislation would make it possible for Ochoco Lumber to re-employ around 40 people, an increase of 40 percent of its current employment base.

“Our company has been decimated the last 15 years due to a lack of federal timber to us,” Shelk said. “We’re a small company that’s been dependent upon federal timber and when the federal timber program began declining in 1990, that marked the gradual decline of our company as an employer in Eastern Oregon.”

Since 1990, 23 Eastern and Central Oregon mills that employed nearly 2,000 workers have been shut down, including many of Ochoco Lumber’s. The availability of raw material from federal forestland is critical to keeping the remaining eight mills open, Shelk said.

Most notably, the legislation calls for mechanically treating 80,000 areas of forestland in Eastern Oregon, more than double what is currently harvested. By year two, the bill mandates treatment of 100,000 acres and 120,000 acres by year three.

For hard-hit counties, like Crook County, the bill’s passage could mean a boost in local logging jobs from large-scale forest restoration projects. In counties with operating sawmills, the increase in saw logs would create a need for more mill workers.

The restoration projects would also make the 8.3 million acres of federal forest in Central and Eastern Oregon healthier and less prone to wildfire.

“With each passing month, the failure to address the needs or Oregon’s increasingly unhealthy forests means that they have grown more and more at risk for preventable fire, insect infestation and disease,” Wyden said.

The bill would also protect old growth trees of 150 years or older, with some scientific and administrative exceptions made for species, age and emergencies. Other provisions would permanently enact existing watershed protections east of the Cascades and limit permanent and temporary forest roads, while seeking a net reduction in roads.

“Much of the forest in the east side of Oregon is in need of active restoration,” said Andy Kerr, who testified on behalf of conservation groups. “Enactment of this legislation can mark the end of the timber wars for the eastside forests of Oregon. It can result in new rules of engagement for national forest stakeholders and give way to collaboration.”