PRINTER'S NO. 720
No. 29 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY MADIGAN, MUSTO, WHITE, STAPLETON, GERLACH,
AFFLERBACH, HELFRICK, BELAN, SCHWARTZ AND MELLOW,
MARCH 12, 1997
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MARCH 12, 1997
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control
2 and Conservation Committee to study the issues concerning the
3 renewal and management of this Commonwealth's forests; and
4 creating a task force.
5 WHEREAS, Forests comprise 59% of this Commonwealth's total
6 land area; and
7 WHEREAS, Forests provide numerous economic, recreational and
8 environmental values; and
9 WHEREAS, The policies and legislation developed today will
10 determine the future of forests in this Commonwealth; and
11 WHEREAS, The forestry task force established by House
12 Resolution 263 of 1994 has been helpful to the General Assembly
13 and the forestry community; therefore be it
14 RESOLVED, (the House of Representatives concurring), That the
15 General Assembly establish a forestry task force to be comprised
16 of two members of the Senate, one appointed by the leader of the
17 majority party and one appointed by the leader of the minority
18 party, two members of the House of Representatives, one
1 appointed by the leader of the majority party and one appointed
2 by the leader of the minority party, and the members of the
3 foresty task force shall choose a chairman from their number;
4 and be it further
5 RESOLVED, That the forestry task force shall conduct a
6 comprehensive study of and investigate the following:
7 (1) Road bonding requirements for the timber industry;
8 (2) The effects of acid deposition on this
9 Commonwealth's forests;
10 (3) The progress of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative
11 in this Commonwealth;
12 (4) The licensing and certification of foresters;
13 (5) The long-term forestry research needs for this
14 Commonwealth;
15 and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the forestry task force may hold hearings,
17 take testimony and make its investigations at such places as it
18 deems necessary; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That an advisory committee by created by the
20 forestry task force to assist in developing facts and
21 recommendations concerning the renewal and management of forests
22 in this Commonwealth and that the advisory committee be composed
23 of representatives of the following government agencies:
24 (1) Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
25 Bureau of Forestry;
26 (2) Department of Agriculture, Hardwoods Development
27 Council;
28 (3) Department of Transportation;
29 (4) The Pennsylvania State University, School of Forest
30 Resources; and
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1 (5) United States Forest Service;
2 and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That the advisory committee shall further have one
4 representative from each of five business organizations
5 representing the forest products industry, shall have one
6 representative from each of three nonprofit conservation and
7 environmental organizations, one representative from a township
8 government, one representative from a county government and
9 shall have one representative from up to three other
10 organizations that the forestry task force deems appropriate to
11 be represented; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly direct the Joint
13 Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation
14 Committee to provide sufficient staff and other administrative
15 support to the forestry task force; and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the forestry task force prepare a report
17 containing its findings and recommendations, together with any
18 necessary legislation, and deliver it to the General Assembly as
19 soon as possible.
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