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Rep. Pam Marsh backs two‑year pilot to defer back taxes for small forest owners hit by Douglas‑fir die‑off
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Summary
Rep. Pam Marsh told the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee that House Bill 4,004‑B would defer (not forgive) back taxes for small forest parcels disqualified after large‑scale Douglas‑fir mortality, create a two‑year pilot, and preserve counties’ ability to collect taxes later if the land is developed.
The Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue heard an overview and moved House Bill 4,004‑B to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation after sponsor testimony and a brief work session.
Representative Pam Marsh, the sponsor for sections 1–4, told the committee that Southwest Oregon is facing “a profound transformation” in its forest landscape and that wide‑scale Douglas‑fir mortality has affected 635,000 acres and “over 1,700,000,000 board feet of timber” since 2015. Marsh said those losses mean some small private landowners cannot meet statutory restocking densities required to retain a forest‑land special assessment.
Under current practice, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) can issue temporary waivers when an owner follows an agency‑approved alternate practice plan; HB 4,004‑B would create a narrow statutory mechanism for small‑tract forest land that is disqualified because of Douglas‑fir mortality. The bill would defer the additional back taxes that arise when a parcel moves out of forest land status; those deferred taxes would be collectible later only if the property is developed in an incompatible way. Marsh called the approach a targeted form of relief that preserves counties’ ability to collect revenue in the event of future development and emphasized that the deferral is not forgiveness.
Representative Mark Owens, who walked the committee through other omnibus provisions in the bill, described unrelated sections that clarify Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) funding, water‑rights extension timelines, and department hierarchy. Owens said section 5 (CREP) was established in 2021 with $500,000, about 80% federally funded, and that the bill seeks to clarify the use of certain state matching funds.
The bill’s sponsors told the committee the fiscal impact on this committee’s portions of the omnibus is minimal and that sections affecting small forest tracts are intended as a two‑year pilot to allow lawmakers and agencies to study impacts. The language cited the Forest Practices Act as the statutory context for restocking and waiver practices.
After the overview and brief questions, Vice Chair McLean moved HB 4,004‑B to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation. The committee recorded affirmative votes and the motion carried; the committee named a floor carrier to advance the bill.
Next steps: HB 4,004‑B was advanced to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation and will be carried to the floor by the committee’s designated senator.
