PRINTER'S NO. 1077
No. 81 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY MADIGAN, WENGER, ERICKSON, LEMMOND, M. WHITE,
MUSTO, STACK, COSTA, CORMAN, WAUGH, TARTAGLIONE, ORIE,
SCHWARTZ, BOSCOLA, LOGAN, ROBBINS, EARLL AND HOLL,
JUNE 4, 2001
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, JUNE 4, 2001
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Establishing a task force to study issues concerning the renewal
2 and management of this Commonwealth's forests; providing for
3 an advisory committee; and directing the Joint Legislative
4 Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee to
5 provide administrative support to the task force.
6 WHEREAS, Seventeen million acres in Pennsylvania are forest
7 land; and
8 WHEREAS, Forests provide numerous economic, recreational and
9 environmental resources; and
10 WHEREAS, The forest products industry is the fourth largest
11 manufacturing industry in Pennsylvania; and
12 WHEREAS, Sustainable forestry is providing new management
13 strategies for our forest resources and improving the health,
14 quality and diversity of Pennsylvania's forests; and
15 WHEREAS, The new policies and legislation developed will
16 determine the future of forests in this Commonwealth; and
17 WHEREAS, The forestry task force previously established by
18 House Resolution No. 263, Printer's No. 4110 (1994), Senate
1 Resolution No. 29, Printer's No. 720 (1997) and House Resolution
2 13, Printer's No. 2113 (1999) has been helpful to the General
3 Assembly and instrumental in addressing issues facing the
4 forestry community; therefore be it
5 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the
6 General Assembly establish a forestry task force to be comprised
7 of two members of the Senate, one appointed by the President pro
8 tempore of the Senate and one appointed by the leader of the
9 minority party, two members of the House of Representatives, one
10 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one
11 appointed by the leader of the minority party, and the members
12 of the forestry task force shall choose a chairman from their
13 number; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the forestry task force conduct a
15 comprehensive study of and investigate the following:
16 (1) the cumulative impact of Federal and State policies
17 and programs on the future of the timber and forest products
18 industry;
19 (2) forest management practices in State parks;
20 (3) the forestry industry's use of best management
21 practices and its record of working in riparian areas; and
22 (4) tax policies and valuations of forest lands in this
23 Commonwealth;
24 and be it further
25 RESOLVED, That the forestry task force may hold hearings,
26 take testimony and make its investigations at such places within
27 this Commonwealth as it deems necessary; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That an advisory committee be created by the
29 forestry task force to assist in developing facts and
30 recommendations concerning the renewal and management of forests
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1 in this Commonwealth and that the advisory committee be composed
2 of representatives of the following entities:
3 (1) Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
4 Bureau of Forestry;
5 (2) Department of Agriculture, Hardwoods Development
6 Council;
7 (3) Pennsylvania Game Commission;
8 (4) The Pennsylvania State University, School of Forest
9 Resources and Cooperative Extension Service; and
10 (5) United States Forest Service;
11 and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That the advisory committee have one representative
13 from each of five business organizations representing the forest
14 products industry, one representative from each of five
15 nonprofit conservation and environmental organizations and one
16 representative from up to three other organizations that the
17 forestry task force deems appropriate to be represented; and be
18 it further
19 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly direct the Joint
20 Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation
21 Committee to provide sufficient staff and other administrative
22 support to the forestry task force; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That the forestry task force prepare a report
24 containing its findings and recommendations, together with any
25 necessary legislation, and deliver it to the General Assembly as
26 soon as possible.
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