SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio lawmaker is pushing
legislation to boost prosecution of timber theft in a move that has the
state forestry association worried about overregulation.
The
proposal by state Rep. Ross McGregor, a Springfield Republican, would
require a written agreement between landowners and the timber harvester
that specifically shows which trees should be cut down.
McGregor’s
bill also requires a written record of timber harvested from the
landowner, helps identify errors made during the harvesting process,
sets rules for property owner cost recovery and creates a stronger
method of valuing timber, The Dayton Daily News reports
(http://bit.ly/PbiNXw).
McGregor says the current law is too weak.
"Right
now, it’s a very loose standard and very difficult for prosecutors to
go after, even though clearly theft has occurred," he told the
newspaper. He says illegal timber harvesters are likely selling it to
timber mills.
The Ohio Forestry Association calls the legislation "heavy-handed" and says it would cause
difficulties for its 500 members.
"We
think it can cause a burden, particularly for the folks trying to do
the job the right way," executive director John Dorka said. "It’ll add a
lot of regulation."
Approximately 330 manufacturers and more than
36,000 employees are in the timber industry in Ohio, according to the
American Forest & Paper Association’s website. In 2012, Ohio’s wood
and paper manufacturers shipped about $9.4 million worth of product and
paid employees approximately $1.9 million, according to the association.
McGregor
said most timber harvesters are doing the work properly. His goal is to
find "bad actors" while not overburdening the people harvesting the
proper way. He said the genesis of the legislation was a 2007 case in
which a logger was successfully prosecuted for harvesting trees without
permission in Montgomery County.
Dorka said the bill could keep timber from being sold by property owners or purchased by harvesters
because of added procedures.
Currently,
11 states — including Ohio neighbors Pennsylvania and West Virginia —
have timber theft laws or timber harvesting regulations in place.
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Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com
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