Victor Fazio: “As we consider this very important bill, I think it is important that we revisit the issue of the timber salvage rider…”

“As we consider this very important bill, I think it is important that we revisit the issue of the timber salvage rider that was part of the rescissions bill last year. While I felt at the time that it was important to address the problem of dead and dying trees, and the issue of forest health in general, in hindsight it was clear we dealt with it in too much haste. I did not vote on the Yates amendment when it was considered on the floor last year because I was with my wife at the hospital while she had minor surgery. I did vote for the bill on final passage, however, both because it helped to provide disaster relief to California and because it had the administration's support. At the time I think few Members of Congress were aware that the salvage timber rider allowed section 318 timber sales to be reinstated as well. If they had been aware of the deficiency, I do not think this rider would have gotten through. The 1990 section 318 sales were intended to allow the development of a compromise in the Northwest but they did not succeed and were halted due to environmental concerns. These sales only affect old growth timber. The issue of salvage timber--or the attempt to glean the forest of dead or dying trees particularly after drought periods like the one recently in California--is a different concern altogether. To my knowledge, these two issues were never intended to be intermingled.”