Timber bill may bring increase of jobs to county

SANDERS COUNTY – The United States House of Representatives voted on September 20th to approve H.R. 1526, a bill that could mean big news for Sanders County.

The bill, named Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, is intended to clean up the national forest throughout the country. According to the office of Congressman Steve Daines, the bill would create 6,800 direct jobs in Montana. The jobs would be particularly in the heavily forested areas of the state.

Being that Sanders County is one of the more heavily forested areas in Montana, the hope is a large portion of the direct jobs could land their way here. It is home to part of Kootenai National Forest, the Lolo National Forest and Kankiksu National Forest,. These areas would become subject to the bills harvesting of forest. Sanders County Commissioner Tony Cox thinks it is a good idea to remove some of the forest.

“I don’t think people really understand the problem with not cutting trees,” Cox said. “It is like any farm, sometimes you have to remove part in order to get new things to grow in the area.”

Cox knows the forests are important assets to Sanders County. The county has the infrastructure in place for jobs created by the bill in the area.

“If we have a bunch of dead trees in the forest they don’t do us any good,” Cox said. “It actually stunts future growth of the forest and means no new timber and that isn’t good.”

Sanders County is home to one of seven mills left in the state, Thompson River Lumber, and this could help stimulate the stagnant economy in western Montana.

Thompson River Lumber Manager Dan Claridge supports the bill, but not for the reason most would think.

“I would love to bring jobs to Sanders County, that is important,” Claridge said. “But the most important part of the bill is how it allows for better forest management.”

According to Claridge, responsible management would help save the forest here in western Montana. Last year 93 million acres of forest were lost as a result of wildfire in the United States, while just 200,000 acres were harvested for timber.

Claridge wants to see a better-managed forest in western Montana and healthier timber as a result of less red tape from the government.

“Timber is long term farming and long term investment,” Claridge said. “A situation like the Colorado wildfires is possible here in Montana.”

The burning of usable timber hurts the employment opportunities of Sanders County. Claridge said it is almost a four to one ratio on job creation. For every job added at TRL, four others in different stages of production could be created.

Claridge said a sustainable forest is necessary for sustainable growth of TRL or any lumber based business.

“You can’t log the forest like it was logged 30 years ago, that just won’t work,” Claridge said. “Congressman Daines is doing a great job at trying to change that and make it work how it should.”

New logging and forestry jobs for Sanders County put a dent in the 10 percent unemployment rate. According to County Commissioner Carol Brooker, the dent is not a miracle cure and should not be treated like one.

“Anytime you can bring jobs to the county it is a good thing,” Brooker said. “But, look at the bigger picture, if you have the lumber, you have to have someone using it. The housing market has to come back or it will be short lived.”

Brooker called the situation a catch-22. The timber industry relies heavily on the construction industry for an output of lumber.

“If you aren’t building, it does not do you any good,” Brooker said. “The bill does eliminate the red tape for the Forest Service, and that is important.”

Claridge said anytime a company bought timbered land and planned on cutting it down, an organization would sue to protect the forest. The long legal process draws out the time for a company to harvest the timber. The bill provides more control for the forest service in the harvest process. It also streamlines projects by requiring them to complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations, but streamlines the process to avoid frivolous and lengthy delays, lawsuits, and bureaucratic red tape.

According to Claridge since the closing of the mills, Sanders County has been in the top five of unemployed counties in Montana. In fact, all of Montana harvesting has been stunted. According to Daines office, the production for Montana has decreased 90 percent over the last 30 years. Limiting harvest has also hurt the forest service.

The documents provided from the Congressman’s office said the forest service once averaged $1 billion dollars in revenue, and now spends $2 for every $1 it produces.

“I know how important the responsible management of our National Forests is for the health of our forests and the health of our state’s economy,” Daines said in a statement. “We’ve seen firsthand the devastating consequences of the mismanagement of our federal forests-from this year’s fire season to rampant pine beetle kill, the health of our forests and the communities that surround them continues to be at risk.”

Keeping the forest strong and healthy is what is important to TRL, the Commissioners, and Congressman Daines.

“You have to build America from the ground up,” Claridge said. “Forest stability is what will do that.”

According to Claridge, having less red tape and access to more timber can only lead to more growth for TRL, and potentially a second shift.

The bill is in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources for further consideration. Once out of committee it will move to the Senate floor for a vote. President Obama said after the bill passed the House in September of this year, he would veto the act in the current form.