U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell and Buddy Carter introduced H.R. 4210, the Disaster Reforestation Act of 2021. This legislation aims to help family and private timber growers recover from the loss of timber destroyed by natural disasters and reforest their lands.
Rep. Sewell stated in a press release, “Alabama’s beautiful forests keep our economy, our environment, and our people healthy, but when disaster strikes, our private forest owners are often left devastated and without the ability to quickly recover. By fixing our tax code, the Disaster Reforestation Act offers a helping hand to Alabama’s private forest owners as they work to reforest after natural disasters. I am so proud to introduce this legislation and urge my colleagues to support it.”
On Twitter, Sewell stated, “Our beautiful Alabama forests keep our economy, environment, and people healthy. We must ensure that our tax code helps forest landowners recover after devastating natural disasters. My Disaster Reforestation Act would do exactly that!”
Our beautiful Alabama forests keep our economy, environment, and people healthy. We must ensure that our tax code helps forest landowners recover after devastating natural disasters.🌳
— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) June 29, 2021
My Disaster Reforestation Act would do exactly that! Read more here: https://t.co/yZSgcK8OcL pic.twitter.com/vBi1hqg1Oi
Rep. Carter commented, “Forestry is a vital part of rural economies all across our country. Unfortunately, the current tax code provides no recourse for working forests struck by natural disasters. I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Sewell and our partners from across the country to address this issue. The Disaster Reforestation Act will ensure timber farming is a viable way of life, protecting the many jobs and consumer products it supports and its positive impact to our environment.”
Alabama’s private forest landowners face immense financial burdens when needing to reforest their lands after a natural disaster, especially families and small timber companies.
The Disaster Reforestation Act would reduce this financial burden by providing for the equitable tax treatment of casualty loss of their timber crop when disaster strikes. In doing so, it would foster stability and growth in one of Alabama’s key industries and promote environmental wellness through reforestation.
“This legislation is key in helping family forest owners recover after natural disasters and keeping Alabama’s forests as forests,” stated Gray Skipper, Alabama Landowner and VP of Scotch Plywood Company. “This will ensure the forest products consuming mills have trees in the future to maintain local economies. It will also ensure these forests, some of which are the most biologically diverse in the country, can continue sequestering carbon, supporting at-risk species, providing the clean water supply, and recreation for Gulf communities.”
Chris Isaacson, President and CEO of Alabama Forestry Association commented, “Alabama’s 23 million acres of healthy forests supply the raw material for the state’s $28 billion forest industry that creates jobs for 123,000 Alabama workers. The investment required by forest landowners over the decades from planting to harvest is at constant risk from natural disasters. Under the current tax code, when disaster strikes landowners lose twice. They lose their timber and they lose the ability to deduct the value of the timber damaged. We are grateful that Congresswoman Sewell recognizes this inequity and applaud her for taking a leadership role in helping landowners and their local communities recover.”
“America’s forest landowners have been waiting for this vital fix in the tax code and are appreciative of Representative Sewell and Carter’s efforts to introduce the Disaster Reforestation Act,” said Scott Jones, CEO of the Forest Landowners Association.“The legislation will not only help timber owners recover from natural disasters but will stimulate rural economies and support our nation’s domestic timber supply.”
The Disaster Reforestation Act has received support from national forestry stakeholders including:
