ORS 526.275 Policy regarding Good Neighbor Authority Agreement projects

As used in this section:

“Additive” means an increase in the pace, scale and quality of forest, rangeland and water restoration services on federal lands within Oregon, including but not limited to services to produce timber harvest volumes that exceed outputs that would be produced by federal land management agencies alone.

“Federal land management agencies” means the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

“Forest, rangeland and water restoration services” means activities that:

Treat insect-infested or disease-infected trees;

Reduce hazardous fuels; or

Restore or improve forest, rangeland or watershed health, including but not limited to fish or wildlife habitat health.

“Good Neighbor Authority Agreement” means the Good Neighbor Authority Agreement that the Governor, the State Forester and the State Fish and Wildlife Director entered into with the United States Forest Service on March 29, 2016.

It is the policy of the state to pursue projects under the Good Neighbor Authority Agreement that increase timber harvest volume, contribute to job creation, reduce wildfire risks to all lands, improve wildlife habitat and watershed health and stimulate local economies. To the extent allowed by the agreement, state agencies that are signatories to the agreement shall work with federal land management agencies to give priority to projects that:

Consist of additive activities;

Maximize economic benefit to this state; and

Recover the state agency costs of implementing the projects.