WVFA Spring 2019

28 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry  | Spring 2019 www.wvfa.org G O V E R NM E N T National Parks Logging? A Presidential “executive order” is somewhat open-ended in directing the Interior and Agriculture departments to actively manage forests to reduce the risk of wildfires. Conservationists are concerned how the order could either directly or indirectly affect lands within the National Park System. Specific to the Interior Department, the presidential order directs it to reduce fuel loads on 750,000 acres of DOI lands, address another 500,000 acres “to protect water quality and mitigate severe flooding and erosion risks arising from forest fires,” and treat 750,000 more acres for native and invasive species. It also directs the department to maintain “public roads needed to provide access for emergency services and restoration work…” WV Legislative Appointments MITCH CARMICHAEL, R-JACKSON, who returns as Senate president in January, has appointed Dr. Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, as the Senate’s new majority leader and homeschool and private-school advocate Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, to head the Senate Education Committee. In the House, new Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, has tapped Delegate Amy Summers, R-Taylor, as majority leader; Delegate Danny Hamrick, R-Harrison, as House Education Committee chairman; and Delegate Eric Householder, R-Berkeley, to lead the House Finance Committee. Dr. Tom Takubo Amy Summers Patricia Rucker Danny Hamrick Eric Householder Executive order