NEWS

China has threatened retaliatory tariffs that could reach 25% on U.S. hardwood lumber and veneer exports and 20% on hardwood logs. AHEC's Mike Snow notes that the U.S. shipped $1.6 billion in hardwood lumber, $800 million in hardwood logs, and $260 million in veneer to China last year. The Chinese announced that the tariffs will be implemented "immediately" if the U.S.

The Department of Commerce has determined that two Chinese flooring companies received countervailable subsidies related to their U.S. exports.

Resources:

Decorative Hardwoods Association® (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XI, Issue XIII: Coalition Requests Circumvention Determination | U.S. Hits China With Tariffs On $200B | This Year's Most Popular Bath Design Trends | U.S. Furniture Orders Soar | Construction Spending Rises |The Housing Market's New Normal | U.S. Homes Hit Highest Listing Price Ever

In a victory for wood products manufacturers, the D.C. Circuit Court denied the Sierra Club's appeal of the favorable start-up and shutdown provisions in the EPA's Boiler MACT rule.

In response to China's decision to impose duties on U.S. goods, the U.S. Trade Representative proposed maintaining the original $34 billion action and the proposed $16 billion action, and to take further action of an additional 10% ad valorem duty on Chinese products with an annual trade value of approximately $200 billion.