House Concurrent Resolution 95

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION CONCERNING THE MID-MISSISSIPPI CONSERVATION, RECREATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2015.

WHEREAS, the United States Forest Service's Bienville National Forest encompasses approximately 178,542 acres in Central Mississippi, comprised of Scott, Smith, Jasper and Newton Counties, counties with land situated in the Bienville National Forest which does not receive any tax revenue from the acreage located within their respective boundaries; and

WHEREAS, instead, counties rely on federal aid including: Federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes, revenue from timber harvests from national forests, including harvests from the Bienville National Forest and the Secure Rural Schools and the Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, to supplement the lost tax revenue; and

WHEREAS, beginning in 1990, revenue from timber harvests have consistently declined along with Federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes and revenue from the Secure Rural Schools and Community

Self-Determination Act of 2000, which even combined together fail to adequately supplement the Mississippi counties' lost tax revenue from Bienville Forest acreage, further as of 2015, funding for these programs is declining annually by 7.8%; and

WHEREAS, to remedy this deficiency, Representative Gregg Harper, and cosponsors, Representatives Trent Kelly, Steven Palazzo and Bennie Thompson introduced H.R. 3249, the Mid-Mississippi Conservation, Recreation and Development Act of 2015 for consideration July 28, 2015; and

WHEREAS, upon passing H.R. 3249, all rights, title and interest of the United States, in approximately 8,307 acres of the Bienville National Forest, identified as Oakohay/Little Oakohay Lake, Smith County, Mississippi, would be conveyed, without consideration, to the Pat Harrison Waterway District, for public use consistent with the laws of the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the Pat Harrison Waterway District will utilize this acreage to construct, develop and manage a large multi-use/multipurpose lake as a regional hub for economic development, job creation and increased tax revenue, additionally the act leaves the federal government with the possibility of reverter should the land cease to be used for a public purpose; and

WHEREAS, because federal subsidies have consistently failed to adequately redress the lost revenue for counties constituting the Bienville National Forest, Congress should not delay and take immediate action on this critical issue facing Central Mississippi and her citizens by passing H.R. 3249, offered by Representative Harper and his cosponsors; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to ensure that its citizens are fairly and adequately represented, accordingly we must insist that Congress not only take action on H.R. 3249, but pass this legislation as it allows the State of Mississippi and her citizens the opportunity to prosper:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby urge the United States Congress to pass legislation concerning the Mid-Mississippi Conservation, Recreation and Development Act of 2015.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution shall be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to each member of the delegation of the State of Mississippi in the Congress of the United States, to the presiding officers of each house of the legislative bodies of the several states of the Union and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.