Authorizes residents of the counties of St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Oswego to collect downed lumber from state owned forest lands outside the forest preserve

BILL NUMBER:S7381

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to authorizing residents of the counties of St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Oswego to collect downed lumber from state owned forest lands outside the forest preserve; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof

Purpose

To empower the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation to set forth rules and regulations that allow the residents of St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Oswego counties to collect downed lumber from state owned forest land outside of the forest preserve for a period of three years.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends section 3-0301 of the environmental conservation law to empower the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation to set forth rules and regulations that allow the residents of St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Oswego counties to collect downed lumber from state owned forest land outside of the forest preserve for a period of three years.

Section 2 provides the enacting clause.

Justification

New York had approximately 16,000 acres of forest which were eligible in 2011 to be logged under the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) sustainable harvest plan in the 2011 New York State Best Management Practices guide. However, in 2011 New York harvested less than 7,000 acres.

The result of neglecting forests ready for harvest is some of our most precious resources are left to decompose.

The loss of valuable commodities is compounded by big storms like Hurricane Irene. Because of the age of much of the forest land, north country forests were especially susceptible to damage, resulting in abundant deadfall. Brush and deadfall also make those forests more vulnerable to fire.

Neighboring states, like Massachusetts, have planned to lift lumbering moratoriums on hundreds of thousands of acres of forest lands after large storms.

Especially for residents of regions of the state where winters are especially cold, the rising cost of fuel has left rural communities scrambling to find alternate sources of heat. They're increasingly turning to wood, which has become the fastest growing source of home heating fuel across the US. Since 2000, according to the US Census, the number of households in New York that use wood as their primary fuel source has increased by more than 65 percent, and the percentage of wood-heated homes exceeds the US average in 40 of our 62 counties, including some with high rates of poverty and unemployment.

This bill will empower the Commissioner of the DEC to set forth rules and regulations that allow the residents of St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Oswego counties to collect downed lumber from state owned forest land outside of the forest preserve for a period of three years.

Legislative history

None. This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Local fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

December 31, 2012, and shall expire three years after such effective date when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed. And immediately for the amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date which are authorized to be made on or before such date.