H.C.R. 203

1

RESOLUTION URGING THE HARVESTING OF
2 INFESTED STANDS OF TIMBER
3 2001 SECOND SPECIAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Bradley T. Johnson
6 This concurrent resolution encourages the United States Secretary of Agriculture, the Chair
7 of the Council on Environmental Quality, the Chief of the Forest Service, and Utah's
8 Congressional Delegation to expedite the harvesting of dead stand timber located on lands
9 managed by the United States Forest Service.
10 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
11 WHEREAS, the timber industry in Utah has historically been important to both urban and
12 rural economies in the state;
13 WHEREAS, pine bark beetles have caused extensive damage in forests throughout the
14 state;
15 WHEREAS, pine bark beetles constitute an ongoing environmental threat to healthy forest
16 ecosystems;
17 WHEREAS, dead stand timber in forest areas infested by the pine bark beetle is susceptible
18 to catastrophic wildfires;
19 WHEREAS, harvesting dead stand timber infested by the pine bark beetle can help slow
20 the spread of pine bark beetle infestation;
21 WHEREAS, harvesting dead stand timber would help promote forest health;
22 WHEREAS, harvesting dead stand timber in Utah would increase domestic lumber
23 supplies and support the operation of sawmills and the timber industry in the state; and
24 WHEREAS, much of the dead stand timber infested by pine bark beetles is located on
25 lands managed by the United States Forest Service:
26 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
27 Governor concurring therein, urges the United States Secretary of Agriculture, the Chair of the

28 Council on Environmental Quality, the Chief of the Forest Service, and Utah's Congressional
29 Delegation to encourage and expedite the release of dead stand timber located on lands managed
30 by the United States Forest Service for the purpose of harvesting.
31 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be provided to the United
32 States Secretary of Agriculture, the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, the Chief of
33 the Forest Service, and Utah's Congressional Delegation.




Legislative Review Note
as of 9-25-01 9:45 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel