March 1998

        The second session of the 20th Alaska Legislature is now in full swing. Among the many pieces of legislation pending before lawmakers this year are several that will directly affect members of the forest products industry. Some of these are among the measures sure to pass both the House and Senate before the mid-May adjournment date.

        On Thursday, February 19, the House Resources Committee voted to support House Bill 373, sponsored by Speaker of the House, Gail Phillips. This bill is the measure crafted by the timber industry in cooperation with fishing groups and the state resource agencies to strengthen Alaska’s already strong forest practices law. Details on this bill were provided in the cover story for last month’s Timber Times.

        Speaker Phillips decided to personally sponsor this legislation to help ensure that it received priority consideration and to help preserve intact the agreement which allows so controversial a step as reopening the Forest Resources and Practices Act. HB 373 is the only bill so far this year sponsored by the Speaker. A companion measure was introduced in the Senate by Senate President Mike Miller. AFA member companies should be pleased by the strong support shown to our industry by both of these legislative leaders.

        On Wednesday, February 18, the Senate Resources Committee considered and approved House Joint Resolution 49, which objects to the new roadless policy which the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is proposing to apply to all National Forest System lands in the country. While the Tongass was technically "exempted" from the interim moratorium, the Chugach was not, and the impact on the use of that large forest will be enormous if the policy is adopted as written.

        The Tongass is also not out of the woods (pun intended), because Chief Dombeck announced that the roadless issue would be addressed "through the appeals process." He also stated that it is his intention that some form of this policy will apply to all national forests in the country. HJR 49 was introduced by Representative Bill Williams, and has already passed the House on a unanimous vote. Now that it has been approved by the Senate Resources Committee, it will go next to the Senate floor. Upon passage by the second body, it will be reviewed by the Governor and sent on to the appropriate federal officials.

        A third measure of interest to AFA members is House Bill 182. This bill is also under the sponsorship of Representative Williams. It would change the required qualifications for the State Forester (Director of the Division of Forestry). Presently, the State Forester is required only to be a person with training and experience in land and resource management. HB 182, if it becomes law, would change the qualifications so that the job would have to be filled by a professional forester. AFA ’s Board has officially endorsed this legislation. The bill is currently pending in House Rules, and will probably be heard on the House floor in late February or early March.

        In addition to specific authorizing legislation, the forest products industry is facing the issue of continued state general fund support for the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry. Under the law, the Division has the lead agency role for Forest Practices Act implementation and regulation, with due deference given to the Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and the Department of Environmental Conservation ( ADEC ) on issues where they have jurisdiction (fish and game habitat and water quality, respectively). To maintain a sufficient regulatory presence on forest practices while continuing its efforts toward a substantial timber sale program, the Division of Forestry cannot afford to suffer any further reductions in its budget. AFA has made this known to both the Administration and the legislature, and indicated its support for adequate funding. Failing this, AFA will need to support efforts by the legislature to find acceptable alternatives to ensuring the Act works as it was intended.

        Finally, the AFA has made known its concern that federal Clean Water Act grants (under § 319 of the Act) have been going toward "citizen monitoring programs" mainly run by environmental groups opposed to logging, rather than to scientifically balanced efforts. ADEC has the coordinating role under this program. We hope to see some balance restored to these disbursements in the next distribution cycle.

        Overall, the timber industry has every reason to be thankful for and supportive of the current legislative majorities in both the Senate and the House. We must maintain our presence in the halls of state government and continue to work with lawmakers to ensure a healthy regulatory environment for the economic development of Alaska’s forest lands.