WASHINGTON – Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) and three other key Members of Congress from the Midwest wrote the U.S. Forest Service, urging the agency to more equitably distribute funding and not shift funding to West Coast forests at the expense of the Midwest.  Stupak argued that the funding was needed to ensure that the U.S. Forest Service does not slow down timber sales. 

“It is important that the Administration designate adequate resources to U.S. Forest Service staff in the Midwest, so that it may process applications for timber sales,” Stupak said.  “Forestry is a vital part of the northern Michigan economy and it is critical that enough funding be made available to continue wise forestry and logging practices.”

The legislators said in their letter that the funds allocated to the U.S. Forest Service for Fiscal Year 2007 should not be steered disproportionately towards forestry projects in the West Coast.   The Congressmen said that such a shift would reduce timber sales in their states. 

“It is our understanding the lion’s share of funding in the Forest Products line, including the entire increase to that line provided in the final FY 2007 spending resolution is being allocated to Regions 5 and 6 to fund the Northwest Forest Plan,” the letter reads.  “This shift of funding would reduce timber sales in our region by more than 62 million board feet.”

Stupak was joined on the letter by the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI), the Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. 

“I was pleased that these Chairmen joined me in calling for funding for Midwest forestry,” Stupak said.  “I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fight for Michigan’s fair share of U.S. Forest Service funding.”

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Note: the full text of the legislators’ letter is below.

March 21, 2007

Gail Kimbell
Chief of the Forest Service
United States Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue
Washington, DC  20250

Dear Chief Kimbell:

We write today to voice our concerns about a rumored failure of the U.S. Forest Service to be equitable in the distribution of funding in the Fiscal Year 2007 Forest Products budget line across all Forest Service regions.

            It is our understanding the lion’s share of funding in the Forest Products line, including the entire increase to that line provided in the final FY 2007 spending packing is being allocated to Regions 5 and 6 to fund the Northwest Forest Plan.  This shift of funding would reduce timber sales in our region by more than 62 million board feet.

The forest based economy in our region has already been shaken by permanent and temporary mill closures, high stumpage prices and extremely tight wood supply. If it is true that the US Forest Service is going to further shift funding and outputs away from our region it will have a devastating impact on our economy and constituents.

            We urge you in the strongest possible terms to fairly and equitably distribute the new funding you are provided. We express our strong opposition to shifting “base” funding away from programs in our region.

We look forward to your response.
 
 Sincerely,
 

James L. Oberstar, M.C.    Dave Obey, M.C.    Bart Stupak, M.C.    Collin Peterson, M.C.