Statement of
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner
John P. Cahill

before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry's
Subcommittee on Forestry, Conservation and Rural Revitalization

Thursday, July 17, 1997, 2:30 p.m., SR-332, Washington, D.C.

 Good afternoon, Senator Santorum, honored members of the Committee, it is a pleasure to be here today to speak on behalf of Governor George E. Pataki in support of S. 546 and H.R. 971, "The Northern Forestry Stewardship Act."

Simply put, this is a bill whose time has come. Congress has an irreplaceable opportunity to provide critical support for a far-sighted vision for the future of the Northeast that will preserve the quality of these forest lands and the way of life that people have been enjoying in this region for hundreds of years.

Accepting this opportunity would set an example for the nation, and indeed the world, demonstrating that the Federal government can facilitate the efforts of local governments and private landowners to support the integration of environmental conservation and sustainable economic development. It would establish a new model for Federal land conservation in the 21st century, a model built upon market incentives, intergovernmental partnerships, and community consensus.

Letting an opportunity of this magnitude slip away would suggest that, while many environmental issues are not suited to simple "command and control" regulations, the Federal government is not prepared to develop innovative approaches to these problems.

The great Northern Forest, which stretches across northern New York State and New England, contains 26 million acres of land, 85 percent of which is privately owned. A million residents live within the Forest; 70 million live within a day's drive. Millions of residents and visitors have come to this region to enjoy a quality of life built upon the natural beauty and wealth of the great Northern Forest, yet the health of this ecosystem is could be challenged by forms of development that could undermine the environmental and social foundation of the region.

Recognizing that threat, this bill is the result of a remarkable multi-year process of intense study, bipartisan discussion and legislative debate.  The result is a bill that has been carefully crafted to reflect the consensus opinions of the Northern Forest Lands Council, while respecting the integrity of landowners who may not wish to participate in these programs.

Rarely does legislation so thoroughly accommodate the concerns of its critics while remaining true to its original purpose. As a result, this bill enjoys widespread bipartisan support, including both of New York's senators.

The Congressionally funded Northern Forest Lands Council spent four years crafting a consensus from a diverse group of landowners, conservation organizations, community and government representatives. These people shared a common desire to promote the economic future of the resource-dependent communities in northern New England and New York State by finding practical ways to maintain the traditional patterns of land ownership and use within the great Northern Forest.  Sustainable development of the forest-based economy will protect both the environmental and social values of the region. This bill would provide the means and opportunity for New York to work cooperatively with Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, sharing information and resources needed to protect the beauty of the area while sustaining the forest-based industry.

New York State is devoting tremendous resources to protecting its northern forests, which form the basis of the economy of the Adirondack and Tug Hill regions. Investing in the protection and effective management of these lands benefits the forest products industry and wildlife habitats, as well as outdoor recreation and tourism.

But the State's efforts can not stand alone. The Northern Forest is a multi-state region of national significance, and it is appropriate for the Federal government to contribute to the efforts to protect it.  This legislation would authorize the use of Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) monies in the Northern Forest Region, and would provide Federal technical and financial assistance, at the request of each state, for land conservation programs.

It also would authorize the Rural Community Assistance Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to work with State agencies to direct support for economic partnership, development of technical capacity and marketing of value-added forest products within the Northern Forest communities. Other important aspects of the bill address landowner liability, sustainable forestry practices, and forest research.

Although some have expressed concerns that the bill would impose new Federal regulatory mandates on the use of private property, in fact nothing could be further from the truth. The fundamental guiding principle of this bill is respect for the private property owners of the region. As a result, participation in the programs would be purely voluntary, and the bill will not impose any new land use restrictions.

While I respect the primacy of private landowner's rights, I do not believe that Federal funding and technical support for programs that work in cooperation with voluntarily participating landowners will threaten, in any way, the rights of those who chose not to participate.

The vast majority of local landowners and local governments have long sought funds to ease the financial burden on landowners who wish to conserve their forest lands as working forests and natural areas, protecting the public's interest in the social, economic and environmental health of the region.

There are legitimate public interests in guiding the nature of development in the region, and crafting an effective State-Federal partnership to support the public interests is fundamentally sound public policy. When private landowners wish to manage their lands in ways that will benefit the public, it is appropriate for governments to recognize the public value of their actions and provide support for them.  I must emphasize that this bill has been carefully crafted to respect the concerns of its opponents. Federal technical and financial assistance will be provided only on a voluntary basis, and any land acquisitions undertaken by the State using Federal funds will be conducted on a willing seller, willing buyer basis, as is the case with existing land acquisition programs funded by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund and Governor Pataki's 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act.

Nothing in this legislation creates new authority in any Federal agency to regulate the use of private or public lands, nor will any Federal land acquisition be undertaken by this legislation.

This bill typifies the modern philosophy of environmental conservation: it would create non-regulatory market incentives and provide technical and economic assistance to support local efforts to protect the environment and economy of the region.

More than a hundred years ago, when the Adirondack Park was created, New Yorkers understood the need to integrate public and private land conservation efforts.

I am pleased to see that today, the Adirondack model is guiding many other land conservation programs, such as this one.

The Adirondacks are a working forest, where extensive wilderness areas are interspersed with well-managed privately owned working forests. The result is a public-private partnership that works in harmony to enhance the value of the entire region. The presence of protected State lands enhances the health of the ecosystem and the value of private land in the area, while well-managed private forest lands are an essential component of the entire ecosystem. Sound forestry is good conservation policy, and this bill is guided by that principle.

Years of effort went into creating a common vision for the future of the region, and the final result is a bill which is supported by a remarkable bipartisan coalition of foresters, landowners, environmentalists, hunters and hikers of every political persuasion.  The Northern Forest isn oe f America's finest natural treasures, the greatest tract of forest land east of the Mississippi, home to countless species of wildlife both rare and common, and the source of a potentially sustainable forest economy. The forest provides invaluable environmental services, cleaning the air we breathe and the water we drink, providing critical wildlife habitat and profoundly enhancing the quality of life in the communities of the region.

Federal assistance is essential to supporting State, local and private efforts to preserve the environment and natural resources of the North Country, enhancing the economic viability of the region by supporting sustainable forestry, outdoor recreation and tourism. Passing the Northern Forestry Stewardship Act will set a precedent that will serve the country well as we seek to address similar land use issues in other parts of the country.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak on this critical topic.