Governor Kitzhaber Speaks on Timber

Governor John Kitzhaber attended a meeting of The Oregon Committee, a coalition of Oregon businesses originally formed as a political committee, and now the Committee is focused on policy matters that impact businesses.  The Governor joined the meeting and spoke about the Budget he released yesterday, February 1.

Kitzhaber said he was going to “add-back” $6 million to restore the fire protection budget for a 50-50% split between forest landowners and the General Fund and to fund enforcement of the Forest Practices Act.  The Governor also said he was interested in a “discussion” of Natural Resource Agency consolidation and plans to restore the Natural Resource Policy Advisor Office in the Governor’s Office.  He is still two weeks away from announcing his selection for someone to head up his Natural Resource Office.

Jim Geisinger, Associated Oregon Loggers Executive Vice President, commented on the Governor’s transition team’s biomass recommendations.  Geisinger noted that the federal government owns nearly 60% of the forests in Oregon; and it is essential for the federal agencies to produce timber for sawmills, plywood mills and loggers in order to maintain the necessary infrastructure in Oregon’s rural communities if the biomass industry is to evolve as an economic force.  

Utilization of biomass is dependent on a viable logging and milling industry, Geisinger said.  Biomass for renewable energy can only be economically viable if it is tied to vibrant traditional industry infrastructure of sawmills and plywood plants.

The Governor responded by mentioning his “not very successful” Eastside forest planning effort.  Kitzhaber was encouraged by Sen. Ron Wyden’s effort to craft federal legislation to address the significant forest health issue in Eastern Oregon and he mentioned the collaborative efforts ongoing in southwest Oregon as a possible success story.

Governor Kitzhaber noted that times must have changed since John Shelk and Andy Kerr were now collaborating.  He said, “there must have been progress” or maybe it was a miracle…or as Geisinger noted “an act of desperation.”