H. B. 2119
(By Delegate Martin)
[Introduced February 15, 1993; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section four, article twenty-four,
chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to the powers,
duties and responsibilities of the West Virginia forest
management review commission.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section four, article twenty-four, chapter five of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 24. WEST VIRGINIA FOREST MANAGEMENT REVIEW COMMISSION.
§5-24-4. Powers, duties and responsibilities.
The commission shall have the power, duty and responsibility
to:
(a) Generally assist in the retention, expansion and
attraction of forestry and forestry related industries by
creating a climate for the development and support of the
industry.
(b) Coordinate the current efforts to enhance and promote
the expansion of the forestry industry among the several state
and federal agencies, commissions, boards, committees,
associations and other entities.
(c) Urge the development of multiple-use sustained-yield
management plans for nonindustrial timber tracts.
(d) Develop products and markets for the grade of materials
that currently comprise a majority of the state's resources.
(e) Recommend a stable and predictable tax program for both
new and existing firms in the state.
(f) Develop a centralized and enhanced protection program
that will reduce risks from fire and pestilence.
(g) Develop financial assistance for the attraction and
expansion of new and existing secondary manufacturing facilities,
with special emphasis on assistance for smaller firms employing
less than twenty persons.
(h) Analyze, prior to implementation, all proposals for use
of state or federal lands impacting upon silviculture, wood land
management, forest management, or the present or future potential
of the land for forest industry development; and provide advice
or comment to the secretary of the department of commerce, labor
and environmental resources, the governor or appropriate federal
authorities as to the cost, soundness and economic or
environmental impact of the proposal. Any such proposal
originating from, sponsored by or requiring approval by any
agency or instrumentality of the state shall be referred to thecommission for review prior to implementation or approval.
(h) (i) Utilize recognized research expertise of appropriate
existing educational, public and industrial institutions or
agencies of the state. Research shall include economic
development efforts in West Virginia, including silviculture,
wood land management, forest management, the development of new
products as well as other products designed to aid forestry
development.
(i) (j) Employ, if needed, and only with prior approval of
the West Virginia Legislature's joint committee on government and
finance, such staff as may be necessary. In the event an
executive director may be necessary, such individual shall be a
forestry graduate of a four-year college of forestry and shall,
in addition, have administrative and research experience,
preferably, but not mandatorily, with at least five years'
experience in government.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Forest
Management Review Commission to review all proposals for use of
state or federal lands which impact upon forest management.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.
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