March-April 2016/Carolina Forestry Journal/Page 3scforestry.org facebook.com/SCForestryAssociation twitter.com/SCForestryAssoc

CAPITAL REPORT

F I G H T I N G for

ADVOCACY: Forestry Association President & CEO Cam Crawford spoke at the SC Infrastruc-ture Coalition’s March 1 press conference in the State House Rotunda. Crawford underscored the signifi cant negative impact that the state’s crumbling infrastructure has on the entire wood supply chain. -- Photo: ABC Columbia

Legislative and Regulatory BriefsLOCAL ISSUESUnion County Log Truck Permits -- Union County Supervisor Frank Hart proposed to regulate log trucks in Union County at a County Council Meeting in late 2015. SCFA attorney Robert Bolchoz wrote Hart a letter informing him that the county cannot require permits for logging trucks according to the June 12, 2012 Right to Practice Forestry Act opinion issued by the Attorney General’s offi ce. SCFA spoke with Rep. Mike Anthony about Union County requiring permits for log trucks. Rep. Anthony contacted Union County Supervisor Frank Hart who indi-cated that Union is no longer seeking to permit log trucks. Union is still considering other measures to require log trucks to pay for damages to county roads.

Sumter County Ordinance -- In late February, the SC Forestry Association was alerted to an ordinance which had received fi rst reading by the Sumter County Council that would regulate trucks including log trucks on county maintained roads. An Action Alert was sent to Forestry Association members living or working in Sum-ter County asking them to contact their county councilman to oppose this ordi-nance. The Forestry Association worked with the SC Trucking Association and the SC Timber Producers Association on this issue. SCFA Treasurer Charles Segars helped lead the local effort against the ordinance. Sumter County offi cials withdrew the ordinance to regulate trucks including log trucks on March 8, 2016. The Forestry Association is working with the SFI State Implementation Committee, the Timber Operations Professionals program, and the SC Timber Producers Association in developing a mechanism to address com-plaints from local offi cials.

Calhoun County -- SCFA received complaints that the Calhoun County Asses-sor may be overstepping his authority by practicing forestry without being a regis-tered forester in his dealing with landowners seeking an agriculture use exemption. Attorney Robert Bolchoz sent a letter to the Calhoun County Assessor with cop-ies going to the Calhoun County Council Chairman and the Calhoun County Ad-ministrator warning the assessor about practicing forestry without being a regis-tered forester in the State of SC.

STATE ISSUESFunding for Roads and Bridges – House Bill 3579 -- On March 1, the For-estry Association participated in a press conference calling on the Senate to end the fi libuster and to pass a bill to fi x our roads and bridges. On March 2, the Senate agreed to a plan to spend an additional $400 million a year to repair roads and bridges without raising the gas tax or cutting income taxes, reforming SC DOT by shifting power to appoint members of its governing commission to the governor, away from state legislators. The DOT commission would appoint the secretary of transportation with the approval of the governor. The State Transportation Infra-structure Bank also would be made answerable to SC DOT. The legislation passed the Senate on March 10. Governor Haley indicated she supports this plan. House

Leadership opposes the Senate’s plan so the issue will likely be resolved in a con-ference committee. Unfortunately, H.3579 may not solve the forest industry’s problem with load re-stricted bridges or provide suffi cient funding for secondary roads.

Load Restricted Bridges -- Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Lar-ry Grooms, supporting the Forestry Association’s efforts to replace load restricted bridges, sent a letter to SC DOT Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall in Febru-ary stating, “No industry is impacted by the posting of load restricted bridges more than our state’s forest industry .... I strongly encourage SC DOT to make replacing the 300 plus load restricted bridges in our state a top priority.”

Eminent Domain -- Senate Bill 868 introduced by Senator Tom Young passed the Senate in early March. S. 868 is a bill prohibiting private unregulated compa-nies from having eminent domain authority. Unfortunately, the bill was amended on the Senate fl oor adding a 5 year sunset provision. SCFA President Cam Crawford testifi ed in support of the legislation (without the sunset provision) during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing. The bill is pending in the House Judiciary Com-mittee. Senate Bill 1065 establishing a study committee to review eminent domain is-sues also passed the Senate.

Permit Reform for Tidal Impoundments -- Senate Bill 788 -- introduced by Senator Chip Campsen deals with tidal impoundments so that regular maintenance and emergency repairs do not have to be individually permitted. The bill passed the Senate on March 2 and has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee for consideration.

Regulations of Dams and Ponds – House Bill 4565 -- Forestry Association Board member Jimmy Sanders testifi ed on House Bill 4565 relating to dam and

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STATE ISSUES

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pond safety on February 17. Sanders made several recommendations for improving the bill including objecting to the criminal penalties in the legislation. SCFA President Cam Crawford testifi ed at the House Agriculture Subcommittee meeting on February 23 strongly opposing DHEC’s proposal to stack criminal and civil charges on landowners for regulatory violations relating to dams in House Bill 4565. DHEC wants to charge landowners up to a $25,000 fi ne or 2 years in prison for each day a violation occurs and a civil penalty of $1,000 per day. Rep. Mike Burns and Rep. Bill Chumley are planning to offer an amendment to prevent DHEC from stacking criminal offenses and civil penalties.

Farm Aid Fund Bill – House Bill 4717 -- The House passed H. 4717 “The South Carolina Farm Aid Fund Bill” by a vote of 95-6. Farmers would be eligible for grants for losses incurred due to the October 2015 fl ooding including the loss of timber. House Agriculture Chairman Davey Hiott met with House Ways and Means Chair-man Brian White about assistance for loggers impacted by the fl ooding. Rep. White said he would support a budget proviso allowing loggers to receive grants from the SC Forestry Commission using funds from the existing insurance premium tax revenues received by the Commission for purchasing fi refi ghting equipment. The SC Forest-ry Commission opposes Rep. White’s proposal since it would reduce the amount of funds available to purchase fi refi ghting equipment. SCFA contacted Congressman Tom Rice’s offi ce about Federal assistance for log-gers impacted by the October fl ooding. Loggers are eligible to apply for a disaster loan from the Small Business Administration. The deadline to apply is July 5, 2016.

State Budget Bill -- The House Ways and Means Committee included an addi-tional $250 Million for roads and bridges in the State Budget. $185 Million will be sent to the counties allowing local offi cials to decide which roads and bridges to repair and $65 million will be provided to SC DOT. The House Ways and Means Committee included $1 Million for fi refi ghting equip-ment, $320,000 for fi refi ghting capacity, and $200,000 for forest inventory data/devel-opment for the State Forestry Commission in the State Budget.

Firefi ghting Equipment – Senate 973 and House Bill 4525 -- Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman placed an objection on Senate Bill 973 on fi nal reading of the bill moving the legislation to the contested calendar. Senate Bill 973 as amended extends the sunset provision until 2022 for the State Forestry Commission to receive insurance premium tax revenue for the purchase of fi refi ghting equipment. The current sunset provision expires in 2017. A House Ways and Means Subcommittee passed House Bill 4525 with a 2027 sunset provision by a 4-0 vote on March 8. Reps. Dwight Loftis, Deborah Long, Phil-lip Lowe, and Gilda Cobb-Hunter voted in support of the legislation. SCFA President Cam Crawford and State Forester Gene Kodama testifi ed in support of the legislation.

Abolishing the Doctrine of Adverse Possession – Senate Bill 930 -- SCFA President Cam Crawford testifi ed in support of Senate Bill 930 which abolishes the Doctrine of Adverse Possession during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee in February. The legislation received a favorable report with Senators Young and Corbin voting in support of the Forestry Association’s position. The legislation is pending in Senate Judiciary Committee.

Preemption of Local Government Banning Paper Bags and Containers – House Bill 4793 -- Rep. Eric Bedingfi eld and Speaker Jay Lucas introduced House Bill 4793 that prohibits local governments from banning the use of paper bags or con-tainers at food or retail establishments. The Forestry Association and the American Forest & Paper Association sent a joint letter to the SC General Assembly supporting the legislation.

SC Supreme Court litigation against counties requiring forest man-agement plans to qualify for Ag Use Exemption -- In February, Forestry As-sociation attorneys John Simmons, Derek Shoemake, and John Warren fi led a petition with the SC Supreme Court asking the Court to hear our case against the counties requiring timberland owners to obtain forest management plans before qualifying for an agricultural use exemption.

The Palmetto Agribusiness Council, the Center for Heirs Property Preservation, the Upper Savannah Land Trust, Congaree Land Trust, Lowcountry Land Trust, Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust, and Nations Ford Land Trust have submitted an amicus brief prepared by attorney Robert Bolchoz in support of the Forestry Association’s Supreme Court petition.

Advisory Committee on LEED and Green Building Standards -- The En-ergy Independence and Sustainable Construction Advisory Committee met in Febru-ary for an organizational meeting. Former SCFA Chairman Joey Ferguson serves as the Forestry Association’s representative on the committee. During the meeting, the State Engineer made it clear that 1) major state facility projects may not seek rating points which discriminate against State wood products 2) major facility projects re-questing third party certifi cation shall not be allowed to seek a rating point that would discriminate against wood products of this State derived from forest lands certifi ed by the Sustainable Forest Initiative or the American Tree Farm System 3) any recom-mendations coming from the committee may not place at a disadvantage building materials or furnishings that are manufactured or produced within the State. The Forestry Association successfully lobbied the General Assembly for these policies in 2013 and 2014.

FEDERAL ISSUESU.S. Supreme Court Halts Clean Power Plan -- On February 9, the U.S. Su-preme Court, in a 5-4 decision, voted to stay the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan Regulation (CPP) pending further legal review. The decision will remove all re-quirements for states to prepare State Implementation Plans pending a fi nal ruling on the CPP’s legality. Attorney General Alan Wilson and other state attorneys general fi led the appeal requesting the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the implementation of the CPP. The Clean Power Plan calls for a broad 32% cut in power-plant carbon emissions (from 2005 levels) by 2030; for State Implementation Plans to be fi nalized by 2018; and for utilities to be in compliance by 2022. Many wood supply chain members have concerns about CPP’s treatment of forest-based biomass energy and with the vague-ness of its position on the carbon-neutrality of sustainably managed forests.

Carbon Neutrality of Forest Biomass – Senate Bill 2012 -- The U.S. Senate passed an amendment to an Energy Bill that established as Federal policy the recog-nition of the carbon neutrality of forest biomass.

H-2B Certifi cation Delays -- Although December’s Appropriations Omnibus bill made several improvements in the H-2B Guestworker program, H-2B reforestation contractors are experiencing signifi cant delays in application processing creating a serious threat to tree planting this year. The Forestry Association contacted Senator Lindsey Graham’s offi ce for assistance with this issue. On February 17, the Department of Labor (DOL) provided its reasons for the delays, stating (1) that it received an unusually large number of H-2B applications immediately following the passage of the Appropriations Omnibus and (2) that it had experienced technical diffi culties with its iCERT identity verifi cation system. On February 19, DOL’s Offi ce of Foreign Labor Certifi cation stated that the delays had triggered its authority to launch an Emergency Processing Initiative for backlogged H-2B applications, so H-2B employers can expedite applications.

Truck Weight Pilot Program -- There is proposed language for the FY 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development legislation that would create a pilot program for shipping agricultural and forest products on six-axle trucks up to a GVW of 91,000 pounds for trips not exceeding 500 miles. This is a nationwide pilot program for a 20 year period and states can opt out. The Forestry Association in conjunction with the American Forest & Paper Associa-tion signed onto a Congressional letter supporting the pilot program.

This report was prepared by SC Forestry Association President & CEO Cam Crawford, Columbia, SC. Contact him at 803/798-4170 or ccrawford@scfor-estry.org for further information or comments.

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FEDERAL ISSUES

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