[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 13, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INTRODUCING THE LEGAL TIMBER PROTECTION ACT

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 13, 2007

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today, along with Congressman Robert 
Wexler and Congressman Jerry Weller, I am introducing the ``Legal 
Timber Protection Act, LTPA.'' The LTPA prohibits trade in illegally 
harvested timber by extending the protections of the Lacey Act to 
timber, while ensuring that legal timber trade isn't harmed. 
Specifically, the LTPA bans the import, export, transport, purchase, 
sale, or possession of timber that has been taken, possessed, 
transported, or sold in violation of a foreign law or international 
environmental treaty. It has been crafted to make sure that it will not 
prohibit trade in legal timber or impose burdensome regulations on 
American timber companies.
  Illegal logging threatens some of the world's richest and most 
vulnerable forests. The illegal removal of high-value threatened tree 
species destined for international markets is often the first step 
leading to forest clearance. The tracks and roads built to access and 
remove timber become entryways for further illegal cutting, hunting and 
burning. The easy accessibility to the depths of the forest and 
fragmentation further threatens already endangered plants and animals 
and leaves others vulnerable to achieving this status. As illegal 
logging contributes to deforestation, the water balance and dynamics of 
fragile ecosystems are disrupted. Deforestation accounts for 20 percent 
of annual global greenhouse gas emissions--more than the entire global 
transportation sector.
  In addition, illegal logging creates huge financial losses to 
producing nations. By avoiding export duties, timber royalties and 
taxes on their profits, companies operating unlawfully are robbing 
national governments of in excess of $15 billion annually on public 
lands alone. This loss in revenue decreases governments' ability to 
invest in the forestry sector to promote sustainable forest management 
and conserve their natural forest resources.
  At the same time, given that as much as 30 percent of hardwood lumber 
and plywood traded globally could be of suspicious origin, responsible 
U.S. companies lose an estimated $460 million in export opportunities 
every year because of displacement caused by illegally harvested 
timber. On top of that, the annual value of U.S. exports is between 
$500-$700 million lower due to downward pressure on prices from 
illegally harvested timber. As Oregon produces approximately 13 percent 
of U.S. lumber, losses to Oregon are estimated to be between $130-$150 
million every year.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues and with all the 
stakeholders on this issue to pass this important bipartisan piece of 
legislation.

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