Forestry Commission public meetings in 2023
4 substantive meetings from 2023, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Forestry Commission
The Louisiana Forestry Commission will set severance tax rates for the year beginning January 1, 2024, and ending December 31, 2024. The meeting also includes approval of minutes from June 6, 2023, a budget review, and division reports on protection, enforcement, management, forest health, and aviation.
- Setting of severance tax rates for 2024
- Approval of minutes from June 6, 2023
- Budget review
- Division reports: Protection, Enforcement, Management, Forest Health, Aviation
The Commission approved the severance tax values for 2024 across five timber product categories. The board also reviewed budget requests for fire season expenditures and received operational reports from the Protection, Enforcement, Management, and Aviation branches.
- Approved 2024 severance tax rates for Pine Sawtimber, Hardwood Sawtimber, Pine Chip-n-Saw, Pine Pulpwood, and Hardwood Pulpwood (All in favor)
- Approved minutes from the June 6, 2023 meeting (All in favor)
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission meeting scheduled for September 12, 2023, was cancelled due to a lack of quorum.
Forestry Commission
The Commission will conduct adjudicatory hearings and review division reports. The agenda also includes a discussion regarding fee structure changes.
- Stipulated hearing: Melvin Leroyal Powell (23-FOR-000172)
- Contested hearings: James Travis Johnson (23-FOR-000124, 23-FOR-000127, & 23-FOR-000166)
- Discussion of fee structure changes
The Commission approved a motion to move forward with a rule change for its fee structure. During adjudicatory hearings, the board issued fines to two individuals for failure to keep loaders logs. The meeting also included reports on budget, forest health, and aviation equipment.
- Approved minutes of the March 7, 2023 meeting
- Approved recommendation to move forward with a rule change for the fee structure
- Charged James Travis Johnson for three violations with total fines of $3,500
- Imposed a $350 fine on Melvin Leroval Powell for failure to keep a loaders log
Forestry Commission
The Commission will review the budget and receive reports from several divisions. The agenda includes discussions on proposed fee structure changes and severance tax recommendations.
- Proposed Fee Structure Changes
- Severance Tax Recommendations
- Division Reports for Protection, Enforcement, Management, Health & GIS, and Aviation
The Commission approved the minutes from the December 5, 2022 meeting. Members discussed budget authority for equipment, personnel changes across branches, and a proposed fee structure for burning services to be finalized in June.
- Approved minutes of the December 5, 2022 meeting (All in favor)