Press Releases

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act:

“Our National Forest Lands are great assets to the American people, and it is important that they be properly managed in an effort to avoid such problems as invasive species and wildfires, which burned more than 9 million acres in 2012.  Additionally, harvesting timber creates needed jobs and revenue in rural forest communities like many in Virginia’s Ninth District that struggle to meet their school budgets, pay for police and fire services, and fund necessary infrastructure repairs.  I am pleased to support this common-sense ‘Trees for Schools’ legislation that seeks to properly manage National Forest Lands, help provide jobs for hard-working Americans, and support rural forest communities.”

BACKGROUND:

Over a century ago, the federal government promised to actively manage forest land to the benefit of rural communities.  Historically, the U.S. Forest Service shared approximately 25 percent of revenues from timber harvests with rural counties containing National Forest Land.  These funds could be used for schools, teachers, police officers, etc. in lieu of revenue the communities might otherwise receive from property taxes if the land were not owned by the federal government, which does not pay local taxes.

Due to federal regulations and environmental lawsuits, however, the Forest Service over the years has reduced the amount of federal forest land being timbered.  This has created controversy regarding proper forest resource management while also destroying jobs and depriving rural regions of needed revenue.

In an effort to provide rural counties with “transition periods” while the federal government worked to increase timber production, Congress in 2000 passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS).  Recipients of SRS funds within the Ninth District of Virginia include the following counties: Alleghany, Bland, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe.  Since 2000, however, the federal government has not properly managed the forest nor increased timber harvests, though it continued to provide money to rural counties.

Earlier this year, following the implementation of 2013 federal budget cuts, the Obama Administration decided to retroactively demand repayment of nearly $18 million in 2012 SRS funds that had already been disbursed.  Griffith joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling for this action to be halted and requesting a detailed explanation of the legal authority for demanding repayment of these funds.  On September 4, 2013, the House Natural Resources Committee issued subpoenas to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget for documents the agencies have thus far failed to provide the Committee as it has worked to conduct oversight into this action.  More information on the Committee’s oversight efforts can be found at www.naturalresources.house.gov.

While the Natural Resources Committee has sought information such as how and why this decision was made, it also has worked to advance a long-term solution that would fulfill the federal government’s promise to rural communities, improve forest management and health, and grow jobs.  H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, would promote responsible timber production, improve state and local involvement, and provides for an extension of SRS payments to rural counties.

Griffith is an original cosponsor of the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, which passed the House today in a vote of 244-173.  He also attended a House Natural Resources Committee hearing and spoke on this issue, video of which can be seen here.  Similar legislation recently passed the Senate.

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