Skip to Content

113th Congress Hearing Archives

Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Oversight Hearing on "State Forest Management: A Model for Promoting Healthy Forests, Rural Schools and Jobs"

Tuesday, February 26, 2013 | 10:00 AM 1324 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation




Oversight Hearing on:

  • "State Forest Management: A Model for Promoting Healthy Forests, Rural Schools and Jobs"

Member Statements:

The Honorable Doc Hastings
Full Committee Chairman

Witnesses and Testimony:

PANEL I

The Honorable C.L. “Butch” Otter
Governor
State of Idaho

PANEL II

Lee Grose
Commissioner
Lewis County, WA

Matt Jensen
American Loggers Council
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Silas Whitman
Chairman
Executive Committee
Nez Perce Tribe

Background:

The focus of this hearing is on the success of these forest lands and how the states, unlike their federal neighbor, are able to sustainably manage their forests for a number of benefits, including; improved forest health, reduced risk of wildfire, recreation, wildlife habitat, job creation and revenue generation. The four federal land management agencies (Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service) manage over 600 million acres of land or nearly one-third of the United States. The Forest Service alone manages 193 million acres, covering eight percent of the land area of the United States. Many states own forest lands that are sustainably managed to provide revenues for a number of purposes, including education and infrastructure. Active forest management not only provides these much-needed revenues but also reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improves forest health and species habitat.

Related Documents: