| August 31, 2005
OLYMPIA…Sen. Bob Morton,
R-Orient, this week testified before the Congressional Subcommittee on
Forests and Forest Health at an official hearing of the subcommittee at the
community college in Colville.
Organizing
the hearing were Oregon Congressman Greg Walden, chairman of the
subcommittee, and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris, Morton’s former 7th
Legislative District seatmate.
Morton,
ranking member of the Senate Water, Energy and Environment Committee,
participated in the third of three panels addressing forest issues in the
Northwest.
Morton’s
comments focused on a process to immediately salvage Washington’s
fire-damaged, diseased and dying timber, and gain as much economic benefit
from salvage sales as possible. Morton also emphasized the importance of
reseeding salvage areas prior to winter snow and freezing conditions.
“The
committee seemed very interested in the addendum I provided to them, which
included
Senate Bill 6144, our own Washington state forest health bill signed
into law in 2004,” Morton said. “It has been fulfilled in that Washington
state now has a forest health plan.”
Washington
state’s forest health plan was created by the
Forest Health Strategy Work Group Charter outlined in Morton’s forest
health bill.
“The
chairman was complimentary and appreciative of ideas in our plan, which
would lead to better communication in addressing forest health issues, the
need for joint tribal, federal, state and private funding, and ways to
address bug and fungus infestation problems in our forests,” Morton said.
Also
testifying in the third panel with Morton were:
- Duane Vaagen of Vaagen Brothers Lumber Inc. in
Colville;
- Mitch Friedman, executive director of Conservation
Northwest; and
- Maurice Williamson of Williamson Consulting in
Colville.
Testifying
in the first panel were:
- John Vitello, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S.
Department of the Interior; and
- D.R. Michel, chairman of the Natural Resources
Committee, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
Testifying
in panel two from the U.S. Forest Service were:
- Jim Golden, deputy regional forester;
- Rick Brazell, forest supervisor, Colville National
Forest; and
- Kevin Martin, forest supervisor, Umatilla National
Forest.
Testimony
from this hearing will be posted on the following Web site:
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/archives/109/
Additional Washington state forest health information:
The report
created by the Forest Health Strategy Work Group Charter is entitled
A Desirable Forest Health Program for Washington's Forests, and was
submitted to the Legislature and the state Commissioner of Public Lands Doug
Sutherland.
The report
created by Commissioner Sutherland is entitled
Washington State Strategic Plan for Healthy Forests, and was submitted
to the Legislature.
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For more
information contact Tami Davis
(360) 786-7519 or
davis.tami@leg.wa.gov |