Bill would protect forest owners from fire district fees
Disputes between timberland owners and some fire districts have resulted in statewide legislation to prohibit any district from assessing fees or dues on timberland.
“We have, unfortunately, local fire districts throughout the state and some of them, we feel like, have been taking some measures, i.e., issuing some costs, on their own,” Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, said. “The (Alabama Forestry Association) and such have felt we have to do something to protect the landowners.”
Senate Bill 282 would leave fire protection on privately owned property used for timber production to the Alabama Forestry Commission, a state agency. The bill was given a favorable report on a 11-0 vote in the Senate Forestry, Conservation and Agriculture Committee earlier this month. The next stop is a vote in the Senate.
Fire district fees as high as $8 an acre per year have been reported in Jefferson County.
Read more: https://www.timesdaily.com/news/bill-would-protect-forest-owners-from-fire-district-fees/article_2a3cd4aa-8737-5370-9caa-0a56a6d15e18.html
(Florence Times Daily)
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