Eskridge discusses timber concerns

By KATHY NUSSBERGER

Managing Editor

During a recent interview with Rep. George Eskridge, he discussed some of the local issues facing the timber industry in Boundary County as well as throughout the state.

Eskridge said he believes many of the lawsuits filed against the United States Forest Service (USFS) land sales are merely delaying tactics to prevent logging operations on federal land sales.

"This impacts the local forest products industry in a negative manner and creates delays in logging operations, reduces supply to local mills and the loss of good timber through decay or fire," Eskridge explained. "The result is a loss of employment in the forest products industry and concern for the future of this industry overall."

He added that both the legislature and Governor's office needs to continue to request that the Federal Government enact legislation to encourage good management of timber resources, including the limitation of frivolous lawsuits and challenges to land management decisions merely for the purpose of delaying activity or worse, the cancellation of federal timber sales.

"In addition, the state legislature should continue its efforts to move land management responsibility for federal lands in Idaho from the USFS to Idaho Department of Lands (IDL)," Eskridge said. "The IDL has consistently provided better land management of state forests then that exhibited by the Federal Government in its management of federal forest lands."

Eskridge went on to say that local loggers and citizens need to get involved in the public process of the federal land management activities.

"They need to stand up and present their view of the economic and environmental benefits of good land management activities," Eskridge explained. "Which includes the need to harvest our timber resources to prevent waste, loss to fire and the resultant loss in economic benefits. I believe that the current practices of the federal government will continue to constrain the forest products industry in Idaho, which in turn will lead to a decline in employment for those in the forest products industry. It will also result in a decrease in the economic benefit this activity provides to Idaho and its citizens."

In addition to the obvious economic impacts and waste of natural resources, Eskridge pointed out that a specific loss to the community not often recognized as a result of reduced timber harvest on federal lands is the loss of in lieu taxes paid to the community by the federal government.

"The amount of in lieu taxes are based on the dollar amount of timber sales, which in turn generates revenue for the county in support of schools as well as road and bridge projects," Eskridge added. "This loss of revenue has resulted in a severe and negative impact on county monies, and I believe, has also increased the need for supplemental levies by the local school districts."

Despite the attempts to compensate for these losses in revenue through the passing of federal legislation in recent years, it does not begin to reinstate the trues economic losses in revenue to the county and schools.

"Now, there is a very real possibility that even this legislation will not be renewed," Eskridge said. "So, now Boundary and many other counties may face an even worse economic loss on top of the reduced timber harvests on federal lands."

On Mar. 6, Senator Larry Craig introduced legislation to extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act by one year. Commonly known as the Craig-Wyden bill, the Act provides a safety net for payments to timber dependent counties and schools, such as Boundary County, and a collaborative process for resource advisory committees to direct some of that safety net payment to local projects on the forests.

"This law should be extended so it can continue to benefit the forest counties and their schools, and contribute to improving the health of our public lands," Craig explained. "While we are working on a comprehensive reauthorization plan for the Craig/Wyden bill, I do not feel the schools and counties should become victims while we in Congress negotiate a path forward. I will include it in any legislation that is being considered by the Senate."