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TACT US A DVERTISE RTA EVENT CALENDAR S tella-Jones C orp. Wheeler Lumber R ailway Tie A ssociation Nisus Corporation Corporation Nisus MiTek ustries ustries MiTek %41556+'5ŖJULY/AUGUST 2015 17 Western Hardwood Association Members Oppose Hardwood Checkoff CAMAS, Wash.—The Western Hardwood Association (WHA) has reported the polling results of its membership in opposition to the Hardwood Checkoff program. The as- sociation polled members in May and found that a majority of those responding by a margin of 3 to 1 opposed the program. Fur- ther, of the primary producers, 100 percent were against the program. Forty-one percent of WHA members voted. For several years, the hardwood industry in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been exploring the develop- ment of a Hardwood Checkoff program. This would be similar to other checkoff programs that would assess companies on their production volume to fund marketing and research programs designed to increase domestic and/or international demand for hardwood lumber and plywood products. There will be a panel discussion to update the Western hardwood industry about the program at the association's annual conven- tion Aug. 19 in Portland, Ore. For more information, contact Dave 6ZHDWHUDWRU wha@westernhardwood.org. Q SAWMILL FOCUS WASHINGTON—Effective immediately, the U.S Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is adding Franklin and Wake counties in North Carolina to the list of regulated areas for the emerald ash borer (EAB). APHIS is taking this action in response to the detection of EAB in Franklin and Wake counties. To prevent the spread of EAB to other VWDWHVD)HGHUDO2UGHURXWOLQHVVSHFL¿F conditions for the interstate movement of EAB-regulated articles from the quarantined DUHDVLQ1RUWK&DUROLQD6SHFL;¿FDOO\WKH interstate movement of EAB-host wood and wood products from the quarantined areas in 1RUWK&DUROLQDLVUHJXODWHGLQFOXGLQJ;¿UH- wood of all hardwood species, nursery stock, green lumber, waste, compost, and chips of ash species. EAB is an invasive wood-boring beetle that is native to China and other areas of East Asia. The beetle is present in some portions of the United States, and because of its continuing spread, APHIS has established regulated areas that are designated in the &RGHRI;)HGHUDO5HJXODWLRQV&)5DW&)5 301.53-3 and the Federal Orders located at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/ eab_quarantine. 7KHLQWHUVWDWHPRYHPHQWRI¿UHZRRGIURP quarantined areas is an especially high-risk p athway for the spread of EAB. Therefore, APHIS works with state cooperators and for- esters to prevent the human assisted move- ment of EAB, develop biological and other controls for EAB, and raise public awareness about this pest and the potential threats as- sociated with the long-distance movement of ¿UHZRRG For more information about the EAB program and federal EAB regulations, please call EAB National Policy Manager Paul Chaloux at (301) 851-2064. Q Regulated Area For Emerald Ash Borer Expanded In N.C. WASHINGTON – American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA;) President and CEO Don- na Harman and American Wood Council (AWC) President and CEO Robert Glowinski have issued the following statements expressing concern about the U.S. Environmental Protection $JHQF\¶V(3$¿QDO&OHDQ3RZHU3ODQDQGWKHSURSRVHG;)HGHUDO3ODQUHOHDVHGLQ$XJXVW Donna Harman, President & CEO, AF&PA;: ³:KLOHWKH¿QDO&OHDQ3RZHU3ODQDQGSURSRVHG;)HGHUDO3ODQUHDI- ¿UPWKHFDUERQEHQH¿WVRIELRHQHUJ\DQGIRUHVWSURGXFWVPDQXIDF- turing residuals, EPA missed an important opportunity to clarify how biomass energy can be practically used by states to meet emis- sion reduction goals. These residuals would have released CO2 to the atmosphere if they had not been used for energy, so the industry is simply harnessing their energy value and utilizing the full carbon cycle of biomass. EPA's lack of guidance and direction creates confusion and uncertainty for states and business investment, which hinders the competitiveness of America's paper and wood products industry." Robert Glowinski, President & CEO, AWC: ³(3$¶V&OHDQ3RZHU3ODQLPSRVHVVLJQL;¿FDQWOLPLWVRQKRZVWDWHV can use biomass energy to meet their emission reduction goals. Un- der this plan, complete carbon neutrality depends on the absence of a current alternative market for the forest products manufacturing re- VLGXDOVEXWLW¶VXQFOHDUKRZDVWDWHFDQSRVVLEO\PDNHWKLVGHWHUPL- nation. These barriers to the use of biomass energy discourage new investment to build or upgrade wood products facilities that could SURGXFHFDUERQEHQH¿WV3XEOLFSROLFLHVVKRXOGQRWFRQVWUXFWDUWL¿FLDOPDQGDWHVWKDWUHGXFH RXULQGXVWU\¶VDELOLW\WRHI¿FLHQWO\XVHPDQXIDFWXULQJUHVLGXDOVIRUELRPDVVHQHUJ\´ Q Hardwood Checkoff Update H C U AF&PA; Expresses Concerns About Final Clean Power Plan