O&C Timber Bill likely in September or October
Natural Resource Note:
Congressman Greg Walden has been pressing for a bill for the O&C forest lands and now it appears to be likely to fall in September or October. The issue made the leadership agenda among 10 other major items to be discussed this fall as detailed by a memo from Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia. Memo agenda note [5]:
Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act. For over 100 years, the federal government has managed our national forests while sharing with impacted local communities a percentage of management revenue.Chairman Doc Hastings’s bill, Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act (H.R. 1526), renews the government’s commitment to rural communities, improves forest health, and will help prevent catastrophic wildfires which threaten millions of Americans through proactive measures. The bill also provides a short-term extension of the Secure Rural Schools payments program.