NEWS

Congress has written important language into spending bills that would classify biomass as carbon neutral across federal agencies. We are optimistic that the biomass provision will become law—a win for our industry.

Resource:

Decorative Hardwoods Association (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XVI, Issue XXI: EU Reverses Ban On Hard Maple Veneer | Importers Guilty Of Evading $42M In Duties On Chinese Plywood | Wood Industry Opposes Unachievable EPA Particulate Restrictions | 

Which state has the least amount of forest, and what percentage of that state's land area is covered by forest?

Answer:  North Dakota at 1.7%.

Source:

stacker.com: States ranked from most to least woodsy

Photo © Ken Lund

The USDA will invest nearly $50 million in projects that create new markets for wood products. The agency will fund innovative uses of wood in the construction of low carbon buildings, as a renewable energy source, and in manufacturing and processing.

Resources:

DHA, the Hardwood Federation, and other wood industry groups oppose the EPA proposal to lower air quality standards for fine particulate matter from 12 to 9 micrograms per cubic meter. Lowering the standards would place 589 counties in nonattainment (an area considered to have air quality worse than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards), with hundreds more on the cusp, preventing permits for expansion or new facilities and hindering the growth and day-to-day operations of sawmills.