Daines urges timber reform at Forest Service budget hearing

Sen. Steve Daines called on the U.S. Forest Service to work together with Congress to move forward common sense forest management reforms during an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Feb. 26.

Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell appeared at the hearing on the U.S. Forest Service budget request for fiscal year 2016. Daines spoke of reforms aimed at responsibly increasing timber harvests, creating good-paying jobs and improving forest health across Montana.

Daines also pressed Tidwell on the effect of litigation on national forest timber output in Montana, the need for effective implementation of the Farm Bill’s forest management provisions, and ongoing efforts to grow timber jobs for Montanans.

“Montana used to boast a robust timber economy,” Daines said. “However, since the late 1980s, harvests on our national forests are down 82 percent, and we’ve lost now nearly 30 mills.”

Daines said many mill workers are facing layoffs or reduced hours at the 11 mills that are still operating.

“As we look at strong demand in the lumber industry, we can’t get enough logs,” he said. “Meanwhile, our national forests suffer from insect infestation, overgrowth and risk to catastrophic wildfire.”

Daines said the deteriorating health of Montana’s national forests posed a threat to public safety and watersheds while also undermining recreation, hunting and habitat.

The freshman Republican senator also pointed out the implications of lawsuits on the responsible management of Montana’s national forests.

Tidwell agreed with Daines on the impact of litigation, emphasizing that lawsuits divert Forest Service staffing resources and slow down the development of new timber projects.  

“The litigation definitely does impact, and it’s not just the litigation — when we get a temporary restraining order, we have to stop and wait,” Tidwell said. “Every time we get a lawsuit, the same staff that would be preparing for the next project, they have to prepare to go to court.”

Tidwell cited the Colt Summit project near Seeley Lake as an example of a timber project held up by lawsuits. Delays eventually forced F.H. Stolze Land and Lumber Co. to reduce production hours and lay off several millworkers.  

“The Colt Summit, a couple years ago, we had really tremendous support across the board from the conservation community, the environmental community and, of course, the county and the state,” Tidwell said. “Then we got sued, and we went through the process. Yes, we finally implemented the project, but it took another year or so to do it.”

Daines secured a commitment from Tidwell that the Forest Service would work together with local leaders and stakeholders in order to find workable solutions that increase responsible timber harvests while improving forest health across Montana.

The 2014 Farm Bill contained a provision that allowed state governors to designate priority management areas on national forests.

With Daines’ support, Gov. Steve Bullock designated 5 million acres of national forest land that the Forest Service is now eligible to manage under streamlined processes. Daines urged the Forest Service to move more quickly in utilizing these authorities.