S AGR SCR ORG1 3-9
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 83
(By Senators Edgell, Love, Sypolt,
Guills, Barnes, Unger and Facemyer)
[Originating in the Committee on Agriculture]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study
financial incentives for permitting public recreational use of
certified managed timberland.
Whereas, The State of West Virginia's rural character, natural
wonders, scenic beauty and recreational opportunities combine to
create an exceptional quality of life for its citizens; and
Whereas, West Virginia landscapes serve to support vital
timber and agricultural industries and draw tourists from around
the world; and
Whereas, West Virginia's public and private forest lands
provide West Virginians hunting, fishing, hiking, sight-seeing,
photography, cross-country skiing and other recreational
opportunities important to their health and well-being; and
Whereas, The Division of Natural Resources seeks to provide
additional lands for West Virginians to engage in such recreational
opportunities; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Legislature has found and declared
in section eleven, article one-c, chapter eleven of the West
Virginia Code that the public welfare is enhanced by encouraging and sustaining the abundance of high quality forest land within the
state; and
Whereas, Economic pressures may force industrial, residential
or other land development inconsistent with sustaining the forests;
and
Whereas, Tax policy should provide an incentive for private
owners of forest land to preserve the character and use of land as
forest land and to make management decisions which enhance the
quality of the future forest; and
Whereas, In exercising the authority granted to it by the
provisions of section fifty-three, article VI of the Constitution
of West Virginia, the Legislature declared and provided that
managed timberland shall be valued as managed timberland when it is
managed under a cooperative contract with the division of forestry;
and
Whereas, Eighty-three percent of West Virginia's forests are
owned by nonindustrial private landowners; and
Whereas, The Division of Natural Resources seeks to engage in
the leasing of managed timberlands to provide all West Virginians
with new opportunities for recreational activities important to
their health and well-being; therefore be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study financial incentives for permitting public recreational use of certified managed timberland; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance study the tax rate and assessment incentive methods for
managed timberland areas to promote the opening of managed
timberlands for these recreational opportunities; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2008, on
its finding, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.
Email
Webmaster | © 2024 West Virginia Legislature **
