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Legislature 2009: Timber bills endorsed in House
By MIKE DENNISON Missoulian State Bureau
HELENA - Two bills designed to help Montana's struggling timber industry and complete a conservation land deal in western Montana won easy endorsement in the House Monday.
By nearly unanimous votes, the House endorsed House Bill 669, which sets up a $7.5 million loan fund to help timber businesses survive an economic downturn in the industry, and House Bill 674, which provides $21 million in bonding authority for the state to buy 26,000 acres of timberland in Missoula County.
The timberland, formerly owned by Plum Creek Timber Co., would become state forest and be managed for logging, recreation and other uses.
HB669 was endorsed on a 96-4 vote, while HB674 won tentative approval 99-1. After final votes Tuesday, both measures are headed to the Senate for further consideration.
Rep. Chas Vincent, R-Libby and the sponsor of both measures, said the two bills are meant to move together, for they both work to help Montana's timber industry survive some of its most difficult economic times.
The industry is on “life support” right now, and if it doesn't survive, Montana will have acres and acres of “dead and dying timber and no way to manage it,” he said.
The timberland that would be purchased under HB674 is part of the $490 million Legacy Project that is transferring 310,000 acres of Plum Creek timberland mostly to public and nonprofit ownership.
The state plans to take control of 100,000 acres as part of the project, including the 26,000 acres affected by HB674. That land is primarily east of Missoula between the town of Potomac and Interstate 90.
Rep. Tim Furey, D-Milltown, said the purchase is vital for people in his district, because it will help preserve the timber and recreational aspects of the land.
The purchase will keep the forests open for hunting, snowmobiling and other recreation, he said, as well as offer potential timber supply to local mills. He noted that the longtime timber mill in Bonner recently closed, and that a group of purchasers is looking at buying and reopening it.
Vincent, Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, and other members of the House Natural Resources Committee have been working on the bills to create a bipartisan agreement that can set up the revolving loan fund and accomplish the land purchase.
The fund would offer loans of up to $2 million to small timber mills and other timber businesses, to be repaid in 15 years.
By MIKE DENNISON Missoulian State Bureau
HELENA - Two bills designed to help Montana's struggling timber industry and complete a conservation land deal in western Montana won easy endorsement in the House Monday.
By nearly unanimous votes, the House endorsed House Bill 669, which sets up a $7.5 million loan fund to help timber businesses survive an economic downturn in the industry, and House Bill 674, which provides $21 million in bonding authority for the state to buy 26,000 acres of timberland in Missoula County.
The timberland, formerly owned by Plum Creek Timber Co., would become state forest and be managed for logging, recreation and other uses.
HB669 was endorsed on a 96-4 vote, while HB674 won tentative approval 99-1. After final votes Tuesday, both measures are headed to the Senate for further consideration.
Rep. Chas Vincent, R-Libby and the sponsor of both measures, said the two bills are meant to move together, for they both work to help Montana's timber industry survive some of its most difficult economic times.
The industry is on “life support” right now, and if it doesn't survive, Montana will have acres and acres of “dead and dying timber and no way to manage it,” he said.
The timberland that would be purchased under HB674 is part of the $490 million Legacy Project that is transferring 310,000 acres of Plum Creek timberland mostly to public and nonprofit ownership.
The state plans to take control of 100,000 acres as part of the project, including the 26,000 acres affected by HB674. That land is primarily east of Missoula between the town of Potomac and Interstate 90.
Rep. Tim Furey, D-Milltown, said the purchase is vital for people in his district, because it will help preserve the timber and recreational aspects of the land.
The purchase will keep the forests open for hunting, snowmobiling and other recreation, he said, as well as offer potential timber supply to local mills. He noted that the longtime timber mill in Bonner recently closed, and that a group of purchasers is looking at buying and reopening it.
Vincent, Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, and other members of the House Natural Resources Committee have been working on the bills to create a bipartisan agreement that can set up the revolving loan fund and accomplish the land purchase.
The fund would offer loans of up to $2 million to small timber mills and other timber businesses, to be repaid in 15 years.
