Oregon Public Broadcasting

Efforts to speed up restoration projects on eastern Oregon’s federal forests came before a senate panel Wednesday. Rob Manning reports.


Two leading Obama Administration forestry officials testified.  So did members of the timber industry and environmental groups responsible for the eastside forest compromise. But written testimony from federal Agriculture Undersecretary Harris Sherman raised concerns, too.

He mentioned issues that environmental groups have brought up, too: for instance, the bill sets a minimum acreage goal for restoration logging, and the bill exempts some logging projects from appeals. Larry Blasing of the Grant County Public Forest Commission argued in defense of those aspects. But he wanted to see more emphasis on the economic goals.



Larry Blasing: “We are a county of cows and trees. Unemployment is currently over 15 percent. As timber goes, so goes our economy.”



Senator Ron Wyden sponsored the bill. He said the bill aims to “end the timber wars” by offering logs for eastern Oregon mills through restoration projects.



Rob Manning, OPB News.