House. Task Force to Study Commonwealth-Owned Lands
biographical statement
In 2001, Representatives Zug, Haluska, Levdansky, Lynch, Rubley, and Staback introduced House Resolution 49 which resolved that the House of Representatives create a task force to evaluate and make recommendations regarding the utilization of Commonwealth-owned lands. Chairman Jim Lynch called to order the first meeting of the task force to study Commonwealth-owned lands at on January 29, 2002. Membership in the task force includes Representatives Pete Zug, Jerry Stern, Ron Miller, Ed Staback, and David Levdansky. Members agreed upon a plan to update their working knowledge of the forestry plan. As a result, meetings were scheduled with the Department Conservation Natural Resources (DCNR) and with Pennsylvania State University professors of the Forest Science Program. Second, public hearings were held to obtain input on commercialization of Commonwealth-owned lands and the state’s forest management system.
The Task Force on Commonwealth-Owned Lands in Pennsylvania eventually called for review of the DCNR bidding procedure to better enable small lumber mill operators’ participation, for PENNDOT to review its policy regarding road bonds, for increasing the state’s reimbursement rate to local jurisdictions for property tax lost as a result of lands obtained by the state, for requiring DCNR to update state park amenities and improve the image of state parks an finally, for authorizing a Resolution to create a Joint State Government Commission Task Force in 2003-2004 to further define and recommend economic development of the state forestry system.
Abstract:
Task Force to Study Commonwealth-Owned Lands, pursuant to House Resolution 49 Records