8. Other relevant approaches.

In conducting the review, the commissioner shall solicit input from representatives of the forestry industry, state agencies, municipalities, industrial and nonindustrial landowners, environmental groups, Legislators and members of the public.

The final report must include proposed changes to existing laws, rules and policies necessary to implement the recommendations.

Sec. B-2. Legislation authorized. The Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 121st Legislature to implement any or all of the provisions of the plan recommended under section 1 of this Part or revisions to the plan approved by the committee.

SUMMARY

Part A of this bill defines the public's interest in forests, defines "liquidation harvesting" and requires the Commissioner of Conservation to adopt rules substantially prohibiting liquidation harvesting.

The commissioner is required to provisionally adopt major substantive rules to eliminate liquidation harvesting by requiring measures that include, without limitation, increased professional involvement in planning and implementation of timber harvesting activities on forest lands.

Part B requires the Commissioner of Conservation to develop recommendations for additional solutions to the issue of liquidation harvesting. It requires the Department of Conservation to provide a final report no later than January 2, 2004 to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and authorizes the committee to report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 121st Legislature to implement the recommendations in the report.