A draft habitat conservation plan would restrict logging in state forests to protect species.

Acknowledging that some counties could see a reduction in timber revenue as a result of a draft habitat conservation plan, Gov. Tina Kotek’s office has asked counties to share ideas about how the state can help make them whole.

The 70-year plan, which has been several years in the making, would designate protected habitat areas across nearly 640,000 acres of state forests, mostly in Clatsop and Tillamook counties. The plan would outline no-logging areas to protect species and keep the state in compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act.

The Oregon Department of Forestry expects to present new timber harvest projections over the life of the plan in December. While the impact for counties is still coming into focus, county leaders — based on estimates so far — expect losses to be substantial.

As a result, opposition by the timber industry, Republican lawmakers and leaders in counties dependent on revenue from logging in state forests has ramped up over the past year.

Geoff Huntington, the governor’s senior natural resources adviser, and other staffers met with the Council of Forest Trust Land Counties in two separate meetings.

The first meeting was intended to hear about concerns and potential effects a reduction in logging as a result of the plan could have on counties. The second was designed to discuss ideas for how the state could help address long-term financial impacts.

Follow up

During the meeting on Sept. 13, Huntington described the discussions as a follow up to a letter Kotek wrote in April in response to concerns raised about the financial impact of the plan by Republican state lawmakers, including state Rep. Cyrus Javadi and state Sen. Suzanne Weber, Tillamook Republicans who represent the North Coast.

Kotek had asked leaders to see the process through.

Huntington said the governor’s office hoped to have the conversations with counties once new modeling was available so they can understand the difference between revenue the counties have been receiving and what is projected under the plan. However, new modeling is now expected in December instead of this summer, so he said the office decided to move forward with the conversations.

“This is not meant to say that this is any sort of a full solution,” Huntington said. “But I think what we’re essentially trying to say to you is we understand that there’s a state policy that is affecting … one more revenue stream in your county when you are struggling with a shared services model.

“And is there some amelioration that we can do at least in recognition of the impact of this particular shift in the management structure of our state forests to account for social interests that are statewide in nature, whether it’s recreation or species protection, or whatever it is, right? And we’re not going to be able to cure everything. And we may not even be able to fill the hole that’s being created entirely by this particular act that the Board of Forestry is likely to take.”

Clatsop County leaders have estimated that timber revenue to the county and local taxing districts could decrease by about a third as a result of the habitat conservation plan. That includes a projected $1.4 million annual reduction in timber revenue to public safety and justice.

County leaders have also raised concerns about potential job losses in timber-related industries on the North Coast.

The county has outlined ways the state could be a partner in addressing the impacts, including a long-term economic development plan, a workforce training strategy and funding for related job reductions and a generational commitment to a timber revenue replacement strategy.

Additionally, the county has suggested a modification to allow more lodging tax revenue to be used discretionally; fair and equitable “need” based funding for rural counties for social safety net services; a state commitment to fully fund community corrections and other services provided by the county on behalf of the state; Medicaid expansion for inmates in county jails; and state funds for providing alcohol and drug treatment in county jails.

Hail Mary

Before the Board of Forestry decided to table a vote on a resolution earlier this month that could have increased logging under the habitat conservation plan, the county asked the board to modify the plan by adding 10,000 timber production acres in the Clatsop State Forest.

During the meeting on Sept. 13, Commissioner Courtney Bangs, who represents the county on the Council of Forest Trust Land Counties, called the request the county’s first Hail Mary.

“Our second Hail Mary then is following that up with the request for additional support from the state,” she said.

“To say that Clatsop County is faced with probably the worst outcome is truth. And it’s kind of almost a betrayal because Clatsop County up until this point has been extremely supportive of state forests and our (Oregon Department of Forestry) Astoria District. And this is just a kick in the pants for us.”