PRINTER'S NO. 1244
No. 104 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY LYNCH, JADLOWIEC, SURRA, HUTCHINSON, McILHATTAN, FARGO, GEIST, GIGLIOTTI, HALUSKA, HERSHEY, JAMES, LESCOVITZ, ORIE, PESCI, READSHAW, SAYLOR, SEYFERT, STERN AND TRAVAGLIO, MARCH 25, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 25, 1999
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Urging the support of proper timber harvesting as a management 2 tool to ensure better forest health in the Commonwealth of 3 Pennsylvania. 4 WHEREAS, Timber production is the fourth largest industry in 5 the United States, and Pennsylvania ranks seventh nationally; 6 and 7 WHEREAS, The Allegheny National Forest encompasses 513,000 8 acres in four counties of this Commonwealth; and 9 WHEREAS, The health of the national forests in Pennsylvania 10 and the economies of rural communities are at risk under current 11 national forest management practices; and 12 WHEREAS, The threat of fire, insects and disease endangers 13 the health, happiness and well-being of the citizens of this 14 Commonwealth; and 15 WHEREAS, National forest timber programs have been almost 16 completely eliminated in this Commonwealth; and 17 WHEREAS, The proper uses of timber harvest as a management
1 tool can effectively contribute to restoring the health of 2 forests; and 3 WHEREAS, The proper use of timber harvest as a management 4 tool can help reduce dangerously high levels of fuels resulting 5 in the potential of catastrophic fires; and 6 WHEREAS, Prescribed fires used without the complement of 7 timber harvest often destroy economically viable, renewable 8 resources and violate air quality and visibility standards; and 9 WHEREAS, Better national forest timber programs are essential 10 for proper stewardship of Pennsylvania's forests and improvement 11 of the health, condition and structure of the natural 12 environment; therefore be it 13 RESOLVED, (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly 14 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania respectfully urge that: 15 (1) The United States Forest Service Chief and the 16 Pennsylvania Congressional delegation support proper timber 17 harvesting as a management tool to ensure better forest 18 health in Pennsylvania; 19 (2) The Pennsylvania Congressional delegation support 20 strategies to reverse the decline of forest management 21 programs and to reach a more effective program level by the 22 year 2000; and 23 (3) The Pennsylvania Congressional delegation support 24 Congressional efforts to improve efficiency, effectiveness 25 and accountability of national forest management; 26 and be it further 27 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 28 each member of Congress from Pennsylvania. B26L82JAM/19990H0104R1244 - 2 -