Bill Text: CT HB06157 | 2011 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: An Act Concerning State Forestry Programs.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-4-1)
Status: (Passed) 2011-07-13 - Signed by the Governor [HB06157 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2011-HB06157-Introduced.html
General Assembly |
Raised Bill No. 6157 | ||
January Session, 2011 |
LCO No. 2371 | ||
*02371_______ENV* | |||
Referred to Committee on Environment |
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Introduced by: |
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(ENV) |
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AN ACT CONCERNING STATE FORESTRY PROGRAMS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 23-20 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall administer the statutes relating to forestry and the protection of forests. The commissioner may: [employ] (1) Employ such field and office assistants as may be necessary for the execution of his or her duties, [. The commissioner may,] (2) from time to time, publish the forestry laws of the state and other literature of general interest and practical value pertaining to forestry, [. The commissioner may] (3) enter into cooperation with departments of the federal government for the promotion of forest resource management and protection within the state, [. The commissioner may,] and (4) with the assistance of the State Forester, develop and administer plans for the protection and management of publicly owned woodlands. Such plans shall include, but not be limited to, proposals for the establishment of forest plantations and the marketing of forest products.
(b) Not later than January 10, 2010, the commissioner shall apply to have publicly owned woodlands or products from such woodlands certified or licensed under one or more of the following, provided the commissioner uses private funding from gifts, donations or bequests, as authorized in this section, for the cost of all such applications: (1) The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program, (2) the American Tree Farm System, (3) the Canadian Standards Association's Sustainable Management System Standards, (4) the Finnish Standard, (5) the Forest Stewardship Council, (6) the Pan-European Forest Certification Program, (7) the Swedish Standards, (8) the United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Scheme, (9) the Smart Wood Program, as administered by the Rainforest Alliance, or (10) any other programs deemed necessary, as determined by the commissioner. The commissioner shall implement any sustainable forestry practice necessary for such certification or licensure. The commissioner may accept, on behalf of the Department of Environmental Protection, any gifts, donations or bequests for the purposes of applying for and obtaining such certification or licensure.
(c) (1) The commissioner may harvest forest products from woodlands owned by the state and take such other measures as [he or she] the commissioner deems necessary for [their] the efficient management and protection [,] of such woodlands and may sell wood, timber and other products from any state woodlands whenever [he or she] the commissioner deems such sales desirable and may develop recreational facilities in the woodlands managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. The commissioner shall charge no less than ten dollars per cord for any such wood or timber sold as fuel.
(2) There is established a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund to be known as the "timber harvesting revolving account". Proceeds from the harvest of timber shall be deposited in such account. The commissioner may use moneys in such account for the purpose of developing forest management plans to guide the harvest of timber from woodlands and for all reasonable direct expenses relating to the administration and operation of such plans. The commissioner may accept, on behalf of the Department of Environmental Protection, any gifts, donations or bequests for the purposes of depositing such funds into the timber harvesting revolving account. The account shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars. Any remaining proceeds shall be deposited in the General Fund.
(d) The commissioner may rent state forest property and buildings thereon under his or her jurisdiction for a period not exceeding twenty-five years, provided any lease for such property and building for a term of more than ten years shall be subject to the review and approval of the State Properties Review Board. The proceeds of such sales, rentals and any receipts resulting from management of the state forests, or from reimbursements from other state departments or state institutions, shall be deposited in the General Fund in accordance with the provisions of section 4-32. Expenditures incurred by the commissioner for the protection, management and development of the forests, the preparation and marketing of forest products and the acquisition of land for the extension and completion of the state forests as provided in section 23-21 may be paid with moneys appropriated from the General Fund.
(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to land owned or managed by the state on which forest resource management measures may be restricted by deed, statute, or incompatible use. As used in this section, woodland means land owned or managed by a state agency and stocked with forest tree species not less than six hundred stems per acre and at least one year old.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
from passage |
23-20 |
Statement of Purpose:
To establish a timber harvesting revolving account to encourage the harvesting of timber from certain woodlands in the state.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]