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Candidates weigh-in on proposed USFS land sale
By Derek Hodges
With growing public opposition to a federal proposal to sell National Forest land, congressional candidates are speaking out.
The race between Rep. Charles Taylor (R-Brevard) and presumed Democratic challenger Heath Shuler has already become one of the most watched in the area.
The sale is part of President Bush’s proposed budget, which he recently sent to Congress for review. It includes 300,000 acres in 34 states, and 9,828 of them are in North Carolina. The sale also would market 137 acres in Jackson County, 2,463 acres in Macon County, 790 acres in Swain County and 147 acres in Cherokee County.
When asked about the issue, Taylor said last month he wanted to listen to both sides before making a decision.
Shuler quickly responded, calling on Taylor to join him in condemning the sale. Taylor remained silent on the issue until two weeks ago, during a session of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which Taylor chairs.
During that meeting, committee members heard from U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth. Taylor told Bosworth the sale is “not going to happen.”
“Any sale of forest land affects the communities and counties in which those forests are located,” Taylor said. “You cannot put out a plan to sell off this much land, all across the nation, without first sitting down with each of those local communities and talking about their priorities and their goals. They cannot be cut out of the process.”
Despite Taylor’s tough words, Shuler this week said the proposal has shown no sign of going away.
“I will continue leading the opposition to this sale here in Western North Carolina,” Shuler said. “For the sake of our communities, our forests and our heritage I hope we can trust him to keep his word this time. I am extremely disappointed that the president has chosen not to listen to the wishes of the people here in Western North Carolina and across the country and will continue to push this short-sighted plan. These lands are an important part of our culture and heritage.”
Several area groups have voiced their opposition to the sale, including a number of environmental organizations, the local Trout Unlimited chapter and Macon County Commissioners.
On March 20, Jackson County’s commissioners heard a request from Delos Monteith, Trout Unlimited chapter president, that they join the opposition. Commissioners’ Chairman Brian McMahan said board members would consider the proposal, but no vote was taken.
Money from the sale, which is expected to bring $800 million over five years, would be used to fund the Secure Rural Schools initiative, according to administration officials. That program provides money to rural school districts that received money from USFS timber sales in years past. The money was meant to support the children of transient lumberjacks, who came into counties only temporarily to log on USFS lands and paid no taxes. Funding for the program was taken from proceeds from timber sales on protected federal lands. However, actions taken by the Clinton administration reduced those sales, Taylor said.
In 2000, Taylor co-sponsored the bill that promised school systems timber money would continue to come their way.
“I co-sponsored the Secure Rural Schools bill because so many of the counties in Western North Carolina depend on those revenues,” Taylor said.
Jackson County Schools received about $60,000 from the rural schools initiative last year.
The Secure Rural Schools act is set to expire in September, though supporters like Taylor want to continue the initiative. With a high concentration of USFS land, counties in Western North Carolina had received funds from timber sales they came to rely on, Taylor said. Taylor has co-sponsored a bill that would reauthorize the funding.
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