HB 2365 – Task Force to Transfer Forest Lands

HB 2365 VOTE: YES – Died In Committee

Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Measures/Overview/HB2365

SeeTTV POST HERE

This bill establishes Task Force on the Transfer of Federal Land Ownership in Oregon to research the impact, problems and benefits. Sunsets December 31, 2018. Declares emergency.

Personal Choice and Responsibility
Recreational groups feel their choices will be limited even when BLM is closing roads. The excluded monument land is a bigger concern for individual property rights, but isn't included leaving those areas in federal control.

Limited Government
Oregon needs to be prepared if federal legislation passes enabling a transfer. Provides for 8 member task force to research federally owned and managed lands for legal, economic, social and practical benefits, cost of transfer and potential effect on federal payments and law, and the impact on ownership of Oregon and California Railroad revested lands. Excludes national parks, wilderness, tribal land, lands ceded by statute and national monuments.

Local Control
Whereas the American County Platform of the National Association of Counties states that “every state should receive everything that was promised to them in their enabling acts, including land transfers, if requested by an individual state with consultation with the affected counties.” The bill contradicts this statement by excluding lands to be transferred that were not ceded to the US government receiving county approval as the US Constitution and state statutes require. These lands should be included. The bill aims at researching undesignated forest lands for the benefit of counties to renew the forests and forest industries that could revive rural counties.