KMVT11
Lawmakers have introduced legislation that will for the first time in 16 years raise the assessment private forest owners pay the state to make sure logging is done in a sustainable way and in compliance with Idaho laws.
The House Resources and Conservation Committee on Tuesday unanimously advanced the legislation put forward by the Idaho Department of Lands.
State Forester David Groeschl told the committee that the state is close to running out of money for activities involving the state's Forest Practices Act.
"The dedicated fund where FPA landowners assessments are deposited is critically low and will be depleted in the next fiscal year," he said.