Senate passes bill renaming Elliott State Forest, shifts management to State Lands

The Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 147 on third reading, renaming the Elliott State Forest to the Elliott State Research Forest, transferring administrative responsibility from the Department of Forestry to the State Land Board administered by the Department of State Lands, and clarifying the resource and revenue authorities for the property.

Senator Chris Gorsek, who carried the measure on the floor, told colleagues the bill “renames the Elliott State Forest to the Elliott State Research Forest. Transfers management responsibilities from the Oregon Department of Forestry to the state land board. Clarifies management authorities, decouples the Elliott from the common school fund, and establishes the Elliott State Research Forest account.” He said anticipated revenue sources include timber harvest (pending board approval and federal incidental take permit), carbon-credit sales and other resource revenue.

Senator Brock Smith spoke in support and credited former Department of State Lands director Vicki Walker. He said earlier work restored the common school fund and that the bill would allow regional economic and public benefits, including timber harvesting and use of local mills.

Senator Fred Girod (Gerrod) spoke in opposition on fiscal grounds, saying he would vote no because the state bonded to buy the Elliott and he does not believe projected revenues will cover bond obligations. "We bonded to buy the Elliott, and we're paying on that bond, and we're guaranteed or we were told that there was going to be enough revenue to pay off the bond," he said. "We're not going to generate that kind of revenue." (Gerrod said he would vote no.)

The clerk called the roll; the bill was declared passed after the roll call. The transcript records recorded nay votes including several named senators; the measure was declared passed by a constitutional majority.