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 20010S0081R1077 - 2 -
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. D23L82DMS/20010S0081R1077 - 3 -