SB 1593 started off as an attempt to raise taxes on timber harvests and defund the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, but the votes weren’t there. So, instead, the bill has proposed amendment to just “study” the concept of a severance tax for separate private an public as a permanent funding for forests, fire safe communities, county services and drinking water…
The Act makes changes related to a forest products tax. The Act creates a new fund related to wildfire costs. The Act makes changes related to forest protection districts. Increases the portion of the Forest Products Harvest Tax dedicated to the Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund from $0.625 to $1.00 per thousand board feet and then indexes the tax to…
(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today (10-30-21) announced that nearly ten months of negotiations between private forestry representatives, small forestland owners, conservation leaders, and fishing organizations has resulted in a historic proposal for new protections for sensitive species on over 10 million acres of forestland in Oregon. The proposal seeks to meet the federal standards for a statewide Habitat…
Prepare for more crack-downs on logging… Oregon approves petition to reclassify marbled murrelet as endangered The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approved Friday, July 10, a petition filed by five conservation groups to give marbled murrelets more protection by reclassifying them from threatened to endangered under the state’s Endangered Species Act. The 4-3 decision comes two years after an Oregon…
Two of the Oregon Legislative Session’s most contentious bills died in Committee as the Oregon Capitol closed their 2021 Session this weekend. Farm overtime: House Bill 2358 would have required Ag employers to pay farm workers overtime if they worked more than 40 hours in a week. This bill received many long hearings and headlines during the year but failed to…
HB 2379 VOTE: NO Died In Committee on 06/26/2021 Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/HB2379 Committee assigned to bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2021R1/Committees/HREV/Overview This bill imposes tax on owner of timber at time of harvest at five percent of value of timber to be transferred to Emergency Wildfire Fund. Fiscal Responsibility Severance taxes are taxes imposed on the removal of natural resources within a…
HB 2357 VOTE: NO Died In Committee on 06/26/2021 Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/HB2357 Committee assigned to bill: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Committees/SFR/Overview This bill puts Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI) under magnifying glass recording all interactions with elected officials, boards and commissions, and agencies reporting to the Governor. Establishes Sound Forestry Practices Subaccount and the Family Forestlands Subaccount. Transfers authority to set privilege…
HB 2632 VOTE: YES Died In Committee on 06/26/2021 Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/HB2632 Committee assigned to bill: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Committees/HREV/Overview This bill reinstates tax credit for reforestation. Fiscal Responsibility A tax credit is allowed with a preliminary certificate is issued before December 31, 2027. Local Control Adds jobs to rural areas, and small trees absorb more carbon to grow, helping the…
Good News! The House’s radical rewrite of the timber tax (HB 2379) died in conference committee. The base timber tax, which funds programs in the Dept of Forestry and at the OSU forestry school has been repealed because of the House’s insistence. President Courtney explained the mess on the Senate floor. The timber tax was part of a plan to…
Oregon’s forest sector and agriculture industry are under attack… AGAIN! A handful of BAD bills have been dropped and are gaining traction. We can’t afford to stand by and watch our way of life be misrepresented and misunderstood. It is our duty to make our voices heard and tell Salem the truth about our collective reality! Bill Summaries HB 2674-1…
“Fate of Oregon’s timber industry hangs in the balance. Struggling to adapt while the coronavirus and wildfires remain a threat, the industry says a path to a recovery is uncertain.” Washington Post 9-28-20 The Washington Post headline reveals how serious our timber communities are in. It is serious. The 2021 Legislature, House Ag & Natural Resource Committee is considering three…
Join the conversation.