[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 124 (Thursday, September 19, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6639-S6640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EASTSIDE FORESTRY

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge a success story 
that is unfolding in Oregon just this week. It is a success story about 
forestry, economic development, and collaboration. It is a success 
story about real jobs guaranteed today and into the future at a time 
when many rural communities are struggling.
  In December 2009, I brought together representatives of the timber 
industry and conservationists, two groups that had been at odds with 
each other for years over Federal timber policy. These two factions 
reached an historic agreement that was referred to as ``the end of the 
timber wars.'' While this agreement never became law, the Forest 
Service embraced portions of it and helped pave the way for the 10-year 
stewardship contract on the Malheur National Forest, valued at $69 
million, that was just awarded to a consortium of local companies.
  This contract will be a major step in creating a healthier, more 
fire-resistant forest while providing millions of board feet of timber 
to a local mill; in other words, jobs in the woods and jobs in the 
mills. After that contract was announced, Ochoco Lumber, owners of the 
last remaining mill in Grant County, immediately announced that it will 
invest $2 million to $4 million in its plant. Ochoco Lumber's forward-
thinking owner, John Shelk, has consistently sought to innovate and use 
technology to keep up with the changing timber landscape.
  In partnership with Iron Triangle, another local timber company, 
Ochoco is poised to stay in the timber business, and keep those 
paychecks coming, for years to come.
  These investments in healthy forests and innovative mills are having 
impacts throughout Grant County. Another partner in the consortium has 
announced that they have purchased an historic hotel in order to make 
sure that there is housing for the influx of workers that everyone 
knows are going to be coming.
  This is economic development and job creation at the speed of light 
when

[[Page S6640]]

you consider the disproportionate suffering the rural communities felt 
during this recession.
  It is because of stories like this that I introduced the Eastside 
bill this Congress, which just had a hearing at the end of July. The 
new bill includes some modifications from a previous bill to reflect 
the progress on the ground.
  A healthy forest means a healthy economy and my legislation will 
provide the certainty to advance the vision laid out in the agreement. 
Advancing this legislation will mean more jobs, more harvested trees, 
and healthier forests.
  So I stand today to congratulate Ochoco Lumber and Iron Triangle and 
to thank the U.S. Forest Service. They are the partners that 
contributed to this this success. My hope is that we can make this kind 
of success the norm for all rural communities.

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