SENATE COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

April 18, 2003 Hearing Room B

10:00 a.m. Tapes 68 - 69

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Frank Shields, Chair

Sen. Roger Beyer, Vice-Chair

Sen. Tony Corcoran

Sen. Bill Fisher

STAFF PRESENT: Judith Callens, Committee Administrator

Megan Jensen, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: HB 3123 Public Hearing and Work Session

SB 595 Public Hearing and Possible Work Session

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 68, A
003	Chair Shields	Calls meeting to order at 10:19 a.m. and opens public hearing on HB 3123.
HB 3123 – PUBLIC HEARING
012	Judith Callens	Committee Administrator. Provides overview of HB 3123.
018	Katie Fast	Oregon Cattlemen Association. Provides testimony in support of HB 3123 (EXHIBIT A). States that HB 3123 would give new brand applicants more options for selecting a brand and location and would give some producers more financial benefits by locating the brand on a less intrusive area of the hide.
070	Chair Shields	Closes public hearing and opens work session on HB 3123.
HB 3123 - WORK SESSION
075	Sen. Beyer	MOTION: Moves HB 3123 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
080		VOTE: 4-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye.
085	Chair Shields	The motion CARRIES. SEN. BEYER will lead discussion on the floor. Closes work session on HB 3123 and opens public hearing on SB 595.
SB 595 - PUBLIC HEARING
085	Callens	Provides overview of SB 595 and -1 amendments (EXHIBIT B).
100	Sen. Bill Morrisette	District 6 State Senator. Provides testimony in support of SB 595.
160	Roy Wu	Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) State Forester. Provides testimony in support of SB 595 (EXHIBIT C). Discusses ODF responses to questions about Oregon participation in the Forest Legacy Program.
168	Chair Shields	Asks if the $30,000 administrative budget is adequate to manage the program.
198	Wu	Replies that the budget is adequate and explains it will require working on priorities with interested parties.
216	Steve Thomas	ODF Assistant State Forester. Adds that the administrative costs should be easy to track.
228	Chair Shields	Asks how ODF will interface with local governments.
234	James Cathcart	ODF. Explains proposed interactions with local governments.
250	Sen. Beyer	Inquires how various requirements of the program will be met within the scope of the $30,000 administrative budget.
286	Cathcart	Addresses each requirement and explains sources of funding necessary above and beyond the $30,000 budget while managing the Forest Legacy Program within fiscal constraints.
365	Cathcart	Continues explanation about the costs of adopting new rules for the management of the Forest Legacy Program.
TAPE 69, A
004	Chair Shields	Suggests the issue needs more analysis.
024	Roy Wu	Offers to do more research on the issue.
040	Chair Shields	Talks about the complications involved with selecting projects.
060	Thomas	Elaborates on the complications of moving projects to the priority list.
077	Chair Shields	Wonders if other states have experienced difficulty administering the Forest Legacy Program under fiscal constraints.
097	Sen. Fisher	Asks how much money has been spent on the Forest Legacy Program to date.
100	Cathcart	Explains that the initial analysis and planning grant was $45,000 and discusses other available funds.
114	Sen. Fisher	Asks about other sources of funding.
132	Chair Shields	Asks for clarification on other sources of funding.
136	Cathcart	Discusses sources of funds for non-federal fund matches required to get the Forest Legacy grant.
172	Sen. Beyer	Asks about the assessment done regarding implementation of the Forest Legacy Program.
178	Cathcart	Explains the process of the assessment.
219	Sen. Beyer	Talks about the goals of the Forest Legacy Program and asserts his belief that the program is not necessary for Oregon. Asks about uses of land in the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) under the program.
265	Cathcart	Acknowledges the importance of the issue and talks about options for uses of UGB lands in the Forest Legacy Program.
215	Sen. Beyer	Expresses concern about the goals of the Forest Legacy Program.
335	Andrea Riner	City of Eugene. Provides testimony in support of SB 595 (EXHIBIT D). Talks about the program protecting resources, open spaces and recreation in local communities. Believes the administrative costs will partially be taken on by local agencies.
398	Chair Shields	Asks for an estimate on Eugene’s potential administrative costs.
TAPE 68, B
010	Riner	Elaborates on administrative costs.
018	Chair Shields	Inquires if Eugene believes the costs are worth the program.
020	Riner	Affirms.
024	Sen. Beyer	Asks about the costs over the next five years by the City of Eugene.
027	Riner	Explains what projects the money will support.
038	Sen. Beyer	Asks if Eugene has already purchased some lands.
040	Riner	Affirms.
041	Sen. Beyer	Asks for more information on certain lands.
045	Riner	Clarifies what lands Eugene has purchased.
049	Sen. Beyer	Asks what limits Eugene from buying additional parcels.
050	Riner	Replies that funds are limited.
054	Sen. Beyer	Asks if the private landowner is willing to sell to Eugene.
055	Riner	Affirms that the landowner is willing to sell.
068	Chair Shields	Inquires how the City of Eugene plans to manage the dual uses for both recreation and productive timber.
077	Riner	Explains that the Eugene forests at issue are oak savannah and are very compatible with passive recreation uses.
101	Cathcart	Comments that passive recreation use does not equal a passive management plan and elaborates.
138	Sen. Beyer	Asks about forest fire management costs.
143	Riner	Responds that the City of Eugene will pay for fire services on the property they own.
155	Chair Shields	Closes public hearing and opens work session on SB 595.
SB 595 – WORK SESSION
165	Sen. Corcoran	MOTION: Moves to ADOPT SB 595-1 amendments dated 04/17/03.
170		VOTE: 4-0
	Chair Shields	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
185	Sen. Beyer	Expresses concerns with the policies of SB 595.
194	Sen. Fisher	States opposition to SB 595.
195	Sen. Corcoran	MOTION: Moves SB 595 to the floor WITH AMENDMENTS and WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION as to passage and BE REFERRED to the committee on Ways and Means by prior reference.

197		VOTE: 3-1 AYE: 3 – Beyer, Corcoran, Shields NAY: 1 – Fisher
	Chair Shields	The motion CARRIES.
210	Chair Shields	Closes work session on SB 595 and adjourns meeting at 11:40 p.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – HB 3123, written testimony, Katie Fast, 1 p.

B – SB 595, SB 595-1 amendments dated 4/17/03, staff, 2 pp.

C – SB 595, written testimony, Roy Wu, 12 pp.

D – SB 595, written testimony, Andrea Riner, 1 p.