Letters to the Editor for April 1, 2009

To the editor:

Your recent editorial, “Don’t Wait Congress” was absolutely right to focus on the need for further action on the issue of support for our timber-dependent counties.  Your editorial was also correct that I believe we can increase sustainable logging, with the additional revenue directed to timber counties. Indeed, Oregon has millions of acres of second-growth timber that need to be thinned, creating jobs, increasing revenues to the counties and improving forest health.

Contrary to the suggestion of the editorial, however, I do not think increased logging revenue alone can replace the current county timber payments. That’s why I’ve been holding conversations with members of Oregon’s delegation and our community leaders in our timber counties to find the best path forward to combine timber revenues and county payments.

That’s also why I worked just last week to ensure that the budget that will pass the Senate this week explicitly includes room for future legislation to extend county payments after the current law expires. I will continue to explore how we can help our timber-dependent counties not only survive, but thrive.

Jeff Merkley

U.S. Senator from Oregon

Washington, D.C.