Forestry Bill to be Voted on This Week
Minnesota Workers will Benefit Directly, What would Amy Klobuchar Do?

	Kennedy toured the Boise Cascade paper mill while in International Falls

St. Paul, May 17 - Bipartisan forestry legislation that is co-sponsored by Congressman Mark Kennedy will be on the floor of the U.S. House as early as today. The Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act would allow federal land managers to act more rapidly after a catastrophic event. The bill has broad bi-partisan support with 147 co-sponsors.

“This bill is critical to timber jobs in Northern Minnesota,” said Mark Kennedy. “In the event of a natural disaster such as a blow-down, land managers should be allowed to more quickly harvest trees if it is allowed under a forest’s existing plan.”

Streamlining the process for harvesting after natural disasters would provide more timber. Having a larger supply of timber would mean there is more work for the timber industry and therefore create more jobs. Additionally, the bill would give federal land managers the authority to – if necessary – act more rapidly after a catastrophic event damages national forests. It does not mandate any specific action, but does allow for quicker timelines for the harvest of burned, dead trees if forest managers on the ground deem this to be the best course of action and such harvest is allowed under a forest’s existing forest plan.

The bill, which is opposed by the Sierra Club and Earth Justice, presents a difficult quandary for Democrat Amy Klobuchar who is vying for the support of such groups. Does Klobuchar side with timber workers in Northern Minnesota and a bipartisan group of legislators or extreme environmental groups like the Sierra Club?

“I’m sure the people of Northern Minnesota, whose jobs and livelihoods depend on the timber industry, will be watching this vote very closely,” said Heidi Frederickson, Press Secretary for Mark Kennedy 06. “Would Ms. Klobuchar do what is right for Northern Minnesota or is she more concerned with pandering to extreme Washington, D.C. environmental groups? Minnesotans deserve to know.”
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