Last week, our industry received some discouraging news – the ND Paper mill in Old Town will shutter until conditions on the ground improve. The company made this decision in order to shift focus on strengthening their Rumford operation at a time when, frankly, conditions are tough. The three reasons cited by the company were: […]
April 2023 MFPC Newsletter Read More »
This was yet another busy week in Augusta with committees in full swing working through the large volume of bills presented this session. At this point, the Revisor’s Office has drafted language for just over 1,400 of the 2,200 bills. A number of high profile and complex bills are still in the drafting process, yet
Legislative Update – March 31, 2023 Read More »
This was a busy week in Augusta for the Council, as there were many moving parts and a number of bills we unfortunately had to play defense on. On Monday, the Council testified before the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee in support of LD 1048, “An Act Regarding the Authority of Municipalities to Regulate Timber Harvesting.”
Legislative Update – March 24, 2023 Read More »
Committees were hard at work this week in Augusta working their way through a number of bills of interest, but before we dive into the previous week, I would first like to draw your attention to two bills that are scheduled for public hearings next week that are opposed by the Maine Forest Products Council.
Legislative Update – March 17, 2023 Read More »
This was yet another busy week at the Legislature with our team monitoring a number of committees as bills of interest make their way through the process. In addition to our usual legislative duties, we were honored to co-host a legislative breakfast reception this week with the Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine on Thursday.
Legislative Update – March 10, 2023 Read More »
Last week our team monitored meetings in a number of committees, submitting testimony in support of two bills. In the ACF Committee, we submitted testimony in support of LD 390, “Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review Of Portions Of Chapter 25: Standards For Placing Wood Into Stream Channels To Enhance Cold Water Fisheries Habitat, A Major Substantive Rule
Legislative Update – March 3, 2023 Read More »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced bipartisan legislation to convene a federal advisory panel tasked with making recommendations to secure the health of America’s forests. The “Blue Ribbon” panel would evaluate and review the U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory & Analysis (FIA) program’s past progress, current priorities, and future
King, Wicker Introduce Bill to Establish “Future of Forests” Panel Read More »
Last week was a busy week in Augusta with our team appearing in a number of legislative committees to represent our membership. On Tuesday, we presented testimony before the Taxation Committee neither for nor against LD 191, “An Act to Amend The Laws Regarding Certain Business Equipment Tax Benefits” and we introduced the Council to the
Legislative Update – February 17, 2023 Read More »
According to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey, the Washington Post has found that agriculture, logging and forestry professions have the highest self-reported levels of happiness, and lowest reported levels of stress, of any major industry category. The study cracks this up to a fact that we all know a
February 2023 MFPC Newsletter Read More »
Originally printed in the Portland Press Herald Recently it was announced that Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King are working together to shorten the time period for asylum seekers to obtain work authorization. If passed, the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 would shorten the time significantly from a process that can take years
