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SJM101.........................................by RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
DOUGLAS FIR - BARK BEETLES - Urging the United States Forest Service to
take aggressive action concerning the Douglas Fir bark beetle infestation
in the forest areas of northern Idaho and eastern Washington.
02/15 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/16 Rpt prt - to 10th Ord
02/17 10th ord - ADOPTED - voice vote
Title apvd - to House
02/18 House intro - 1st rdg - to Res/Con
03/04 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/05 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/11 3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote - to Senate
03/12 To enrol
03/15 Rpt enrol - Pres signed
03/16 Sp signed - to Secretary of State
SJM101|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO |||| Fifty-fifth Legislature First Regular Session - 1999IN THE SENATE SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 101 BY RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 1 A JOINT MEMORIAL 2 TO DR. MICHAEL P. DOMBECK, CHIEF OF THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, THE SEN- 3 ATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEM- 4 BLED, AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO 5 IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. 6 We, your Memorialists, the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 7 State of Idaho assembled in the First Regular Session of the Fifty-fifth Idaho 8 Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that: 9 WHEREAS, forest health problems are well documented and widespread across 10 the state of Idaho; and 11 WHEREAS, United States Forest Service scientists on the Idaho Panhandle 12 National Forests have stated that Douglas fir bark beetles are killing fir 13 trees all over northern Idaho and eastern Washington in what they say is the 14 most severe beetle outbreak recorded in the area since the 1950's, and is far 15 beyond what is considered normal; and 16 WHEREAS, the United States Forest Service estimates that 125,000 acres of 17 timber in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests and 24,000 acres of timber in 18 the Colville National Forest are currently under attack by the beetles at epi- 19 demic levels. The Idaho Panhandle National Forests plan to treat 25,000 acres. 20 Priority areas for treatment are concentrated in the Priest Lake, Coeur 21 d'Alene River and Newport Ranger Districts; and 22 WHEREAS, although the United States Forest Service has chosen Alternative 23 D as the preferred alternative for action on the Panhandle National Forests, 24 which they view as the most aggressive of the five proposed actions to harvest 25 dead, dying and downed timber and to allow the potential harvest of trees 26 which may die as the beetle outbreak spreads, they have not looked at treating 27 the total number of acres at extreme risk to Douglas fir bark beetles; and 28 WHEREAS, in addition, the United States Forest Service estimates that sev- 29 eral hundred thousand acres of timber on the Clearwater National Forest are 30 currently under attack from insects and disease; and 31 WHEREAS, the United States Forest Service has not started any NEPA proces- 32 ses for the insect and disease problems on the Clearwater National Forest. 33 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session 34 of the Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Representa- 35 tives concurring therein, that we strongly support aggressive, immediate and 36 continued management activities on all acres of Douglas fir bark beetle 37 infested lands on all Idaho national forests, and specifically on the Idaho 38 Panhandle National Forests. Aggressive forest management will enhance and pro- 39 tect the health of our federal forest lands by reducing the effects of cata- 40 strophic wildfire which would threaten all forest values (wildlife, water 41 quality and recreation opportunities). Management will also protect communi- 42 ties within and surrounding the affected areas. 43 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we strongly support management activities to 44 reduce the risk of further spreading of insects and disease on other national 2 1 forest lands and/or private lands adjacent to federal lands, and to protect 2 human lives and property. 3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage the United States Forest Service 4 to first focus management activities on federal lands within one-half mile of 5 private lands to decrease the bug impact and the risk of wildfire on privately 6 owned timberland; on areas that already have roads; and then to use revenue 7 generated from harvest activities to fund ecosystem restoration and reforesta- 8 tion activities to benefit fish and wildlife and improve water quality where 9 appropriate. 10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage the United States Forest Service 11 to strongly consider current market conditions and the economic viability of 12 timber sales when choosing harvest methods; encourage innovative and efficient 13 logging techniques that ensure adequate protection for fish, wildlife, and 14 water quality; and capture as much economic value of the dead and dying timber 15 as possible without compromising water quality or wildlife habitat. 16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is 17 hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to Dr. 18 Michael P. Dombeck, Chief of the United States Forest Service, the President 19 of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, and 20 the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress 21 of the United States.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 08999
The purpose of this Senate Joint Memorial is to express to the U.S, Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States Congress and to Dr. Michael P. Dombeck, Chief of the
U,S, Forest Service that the Idaho State Senate and House of Representatives encourage the
U.S. Forest Service to expedite their efforts to address the bark beetle outbreak that has
reached crisis levels on National Forest lands in Idaho,
FISCAL NOTE
This memorial does not create an impact on Idaho's General Fund Budget, There could
be an increased cost to the state and private landowners should the U,S, Forest Service not
control the bark beetle outbreak. The increased cost would come from beetles spreading fom
National Forest lands and destroying neighboring state and private forests, This could also
increase the potential of forest fire and the relative costs associated with controlling those
fires.
SPONSORS: Senator Jim Risch Representative Larry Watson
Senator John Sandy Representative Don Pischner
Senator Judi Danielson Representative Reed Hansen
Senator Marguerite McLaughlin
Senator Gary Sehroeder
Senator Shawn Keough
Senator Jack Riggs
Senator Evan Frasure
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE
SJM 10