Rep. Earl L. Carter, US Representative for Georgia's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Earl L. Carter, US Representative for Georgia's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter has introduced the Disaster Reforestation Act, a legislative proposal aimed at amending the tax code to recognize the value of timber destroyed by natural disasters. This bill seeks to address current limitations that forest landowners face in claiming losses from destroyed timber, which hampers their ability to reforest lands.
Timber production can take decades, typically between 20 to 80 years, before yielding profit for foresters. A catastrophic loss poses significant challenges for recovery under existing tax regulations. The proposed legislation aims to provide equitable tax treatment for casualty losses of timber crops when disasters occur.
Rep. Carter emphasized the importance of this bill by stating, "A single storm can wipe out a generation’s worth of investment into a private working forest. Many foresters are unable to replant following a loss, causing a supply chain crunch in the lumber market, economic strain on local economies, and environmental harm due to lack of forestland."
The Disaster Reforestation Act is designed not only to protect foresters from severe impacts of natural disasters but also to ensure that timber farming remains viable. It is expected to support job retention and promote positive environmental outcomes through reforestation and wildfire prevention efforts.
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