Bipartisan lands solution making progress in House

The long-term O&C lands proposal developed by Reps. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) took a step forward recently when it earned the approval of the House Natural Resources Committee.

“Today, we move one step closer to making federal forest policy work for Oregon’s rural communities,” Walden said. “It’s clear that the status quo isn’t working. We need to manage our forests so we can put people back to work in the woods, create healthy forests and communities, and provide essential local services like schools and law enforcement.”

Walden, DeFazio and Schrader offered a bipartisan legislative solution to the O&C problems in February. They said their proposal would create jobs, provide revenues to failing Oregon counties, help sustain the local manufacturing base and save the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars while protecting water, fish and old growth.

“I am hopeful that the full House will take up this common-sense plan as soon as possible so that we can begin negotiations with the Senate,” Walden said. “Now is the time to finally get this done for Oregon.”

The O&C Trust, Conservation and Jobs Act has garnered broad support across the state, including from the Oregon State House, the Oregon State Senate, 15 Oregon county boards of commissioners, the Oregon State Sheriffs Association, and labor and industry groups.

The bill was included as Title III of the Restoring Health Forests for Communities Act (H.R. 1526), sponsored by Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.).