In this issue:
- WAFO Participates in MFL Bill Drafting
- Update on DNR Rules Scheduled for Legislative Review/Approval that Affect YOU
MFL BILL DRAFTING
On Wednesday, December 4, representatives from WAFO met with Rep. Jeff Mursau and DNR officials to begin drafting a bill to further revise the Managed Forest Law (MFL).
Issues addressed include:
- Allowing for a structure (see Point 1) to be placed on land enrolled in the MFL that is necessary for storage of equipment necessary for forestry purposes.
- What we thought would be a short discussion turned to the longest of the meeting with more questions asked than answers given. Among them were: How big can the structure be? How many structures might be allowed? Are utilities allowed in and around the structure? Can the owner store items not used for forestry purposes in the structure (ie, boat or RV)? Which agency/municipality is responsible for enforcement?
- Expand the eligibility (see Point 3) for lands that may be added to existing agreements.
- Allow landowners to meet the minimum 20 acre enrollment requirement by being able to combine all the adjoining (contiguous) wooded parcels (see Point 3) they own on their land.
- Allow the leasing of MFL lands. Current law allows leasing only MFL lands that have been entered as closed.
- Providing the DNR more flexibility on how they treat large ownerships (those with more than 1000 acres).
- Numerous administrative detail changes that would clarify how the DNR manages the MFL that were left unclear with the past law change.
Other changes that WAFO suggested, such as a revision to how the MFL rate is calculated, may not be included in the initial draft.
We suggest that the current formula used to calculate MFL closed rates:
5% of average statewide tax on productive forest land plus $8.16 closed acreage fee= $10.20
Should be changed to:
25% of the statewide average tax on lands classified as productive forest= $8.00
Changing the formula would result in MFL closed rates being reduced to $8 from the current $10.20/acre rate.
We also suggested that the law be changed so that landowners are provided with information on how their land is classified. We will continue to work to get these, and other improvements, incorporated into the bill as it moves forward.
DNR RULE APPROVAL
The DNR has developed changes to their administrative rule, NR46, which expands upon Act 358 and extensively revised the MFL program. WAFO actively participated throughout this rule development process and offered numerous recommendations that will help ensure the program continues to be more “landowner friendly” than it had been in the past. WAFO testified before the DNR Natural Resources Board in support of the proposed revision which now awaits final legislative approval and is expected to occur this February.