16 U.S.C. § 620: Findings and purposes

Timber is essential to the United States. Forests, forest resources, and the forest environment are exhaustible natural resources that require efficient and effective conservation efforts. In the interest of conserving those resources, the United States has set aside millions of acres of otherwise harvestable timberlands in the western United States, representing well over 100,000,000,000 board feet of otherwise harvestable timber. In recent years, administrative, statutory, or judicial action has been taken to set aside an increased amount of otherwise harvestable timberlands for conservation purposes. In the next few months and years, additional amounts of otherwise harvestable timberlands may be set aside for conservation purposes, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 [ 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.], the National Forest Management Act of 1976, or other expected statutory, administrative, and judicial actions. There is evidence of a shortfall in the supply of unprocessed timber in the western United States. There is reason to believe that any shortfall which may already exist may worsen unless action is taken. In conjunction with the broad conservation actions expected in the next few months and years, conservation action is necessary with respect to exports of unprocessed timber. to promote the conservation of forest resources in conjunction with State and Federal resources management plans, and other actions or decisions, affecting the use of forest resources; to take action essential for the acquisition and distribution of forest resources or products in short supply in the western United States; to take action necessary, to meet the goals of Article XI 2.(a) of the GATT 1994 (as defined in section 3501(1)(B) of title 19 ), to ensure sufficient supplies of certain forest resources or products which are essential to the United States; to continue and refine the existing Federal policy of restricting the export of unprocessed timber harvested from Federal lands in the western United States; and to effect measures aimed at meeting these objectives in conformity with the obligations of the United States under the WTO Agreement and the multilateral trade agreements (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (9) and (4), respectively, of section 3501 of title 19 ).