House Joint Resolution 35 Oregon Laws 2009

AN ACT

          Whereas 57 percent of the 28 million acres of forestlands in this state are federally owned; and

          Whereas federally owned forestlands have a profound influence on the economic, environmental and social well-being of this state; and

          Whereas federal policy and budget decisions have led to a progressive disinvestment in federally owned forestlands in this state, to the detriment of the economic, environmental and social values those forestlands might otherwise produce; and

          Whereas in seeking a greater voice in the management of federally owned forestlands in this state, Governor Ted Kulongoski asked the State Board of Forestry to provide leadership in crafting a unified Oregon vision for the role those forestlands should play in the well-being of this state; and

          Whereas the State Board of Forestry appointed a highly diverse and committed group of individuals to form the Federal Forestlands Advisory Committee; and

          Whereas, by unanimous consensus agreement, the Federal Forestlands Advisory Committee produced the report titled Oregon’s Vision for Federal Forestlands that was subsequently accepted by the State Board of Forestry and Governor Kulongoski; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:

          That we, the members of the Seventy-fifth Legislative Assembly:

          (1) Support the findings and recommendations of the report titled Oregon’s Vision for Federal Forestlands; and

          (2) Support Governor Kulongoski’s effort to form a multi-stakeholder group representative of Oregon interests in order to oversee the implementation of the report by:

          (a) Committing the collective resources and energies of the stakeholders to the successful achievement of the report recommendations; and

          (b) Seeking funding, support and cooperation from federal partners and policy makers.

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 11, 2009

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