Shaheen Introduces Bill to Help Granite State Forest and Commercial Building Owners with Sustainability
Press Release
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced the Forest Incentives Program Act of 2018, which would help landowners make forest management more affordable and provide them with sustainable options to preserve their land. With financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), private forest owners would be encouraged to employ environmentally-conscious forest management techniques. Additionally, non-residential building owners would be incentivized to use less-energy intensive products for structural building materials.
"Private forests play a critical role in sustaining our rural economies, preserving vital wildlife habitats and improving our air quality by sequestering carbon. Unfortunately, private forest owners, many of them families, are under significant pressure to develop their forestlands, which would jeopardize sustainable jobs and key ecosystems," said Shaheen. "My bill provides private New Hampshire forest owners and commercial building owners with the resources they need to implement sustainable practices that will both strengthen our rural economy and reduce our carbon footprint. By encouraging these types of investments, we can help Granite Staters, and residents in rural communities across the country, preserve their land in an affordable and ecological way."
Specifically, the bill directs the USDA to establish an incentive program that allows eligible forest landowners to enter into a long-term contract to adopt conservation practices that have been proven to deliver emissions reductions. The bill also creates financial incentives for commercial building owners to use biological products, such as wood, as structural building materials instead of more energy-intensive materials.
Shaheen previously introduced this bill in the 114th Congress. The Forest Incentives Program Act has been endorsed by numerous local and national organizations, including: The National Alliance of Forest Owners, NH Timberland Owners Association, American Forests, American Forest Foundation, The Lyme Timber Company, Trust for Public Land, Pinchot Institute for Conservation, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and Rayonier.
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