The Logger's VOICE - Winter 2020

A

Publication of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine

Governor Hill Mansion, Augusta

PLC Office, Augusta

From the President

By Jim Nicols

I hope everyone’s winter is off to a good start. After some heavy rains it looks like cold weather is finally settling in and here’s hoping we have great logging conditions right through to spring.

First, I’d like to say how proud we should all be that PLC was chosen to receive the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) Education at Work for Maine Award in November. PLC was selected for the award because of the hard work and vision that went into the success of the Mechanized Logging Operations Program (MLOP). Thank you to Northern Maine Community College for nominating the PLC for this award.

It is great that MLOP is bringing so much positive attention to our industry and creating opportunities for young people to enter that industry. We need that kind of success right now to rebuild our work force as we are all struggling to find enough employees. PLC is already planning for the next group of students to go through the program in 2020, and interest continues to grow with more applicants each year as the program becomes more widely known and continues to improve. Thanks to Donald Burr and his instructors for doing a great job, and to our industry sponsors and partners who continue to support MLOP.

Second, I’d like to acknowledge PLC’s strong efforts in 2019 to raise money for Log A Load for Maine Kids. Thanks to generous support from our members, sponsors, and friends at our Annual Meeting, our golf tournaments, and sale of PLC items and donations, we raised a record $135,007. We added a second golf tournament in southern Maine in Lovell this year that was a great success in addition to our northern tournament in Lincoln. We will be doing the two tournaments again in 2020 so watch for the dates and please participate in this worthy cause any way you can. The funds raised by Log A Load go to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals here in Maine, the Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland. We should be proud of what PLC has accomplished through Log A Load for the children served by these hospitals.

Third, we are heading into a new year and the Maine Legislature will be back in session in early January. PLC has many important issues it is working on and there will be times when Dana will need our members to come to Augusta and show their support or to participate in other ways such as calling or writing to legislators. We need to be ready to stand up and be there when he does. The decisions made in Augusta affect us all and we need all the help we can get right now.

Finally, there are two important dates we should all put on our calendars. The first is March 5, the PLC’s Legislative Breakfast at the Governor Hill Mansion in Augusta. This is an opportunity to talk directly with our legislators and remind them of the issues that are important to us. We need a strong showing at this event like last year. Watch your PLC emails for more information on the breakfast. There will be a PLC Board meeting after the breakfast, and all members are invited to attend.

The second is our Annual Meeting, which will be held May 8 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This will be a new location and PLC will be sending out more information on the meeting in early 2020.

We all know winter is a dangerous season, so work safe out there and I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.

Thanks, Jimmy

Welcome New Members

Eastman Forest Products of Porter, ME joined the PLC as a new Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 3. For more information, contact Alfred Eastman at (207) 625-8996 or email eastmansforestprod@yahoo.com.

Jim Everett & Son of Waterford, ME joined the PLC as a new Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 3. For more information, contact Jim Everett at (207) 743-0237 or email Shelby724@yahoo.com.

B. Ouellette Timber Harvesting Inc. of Wallagrass, ME joined the PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 1. For more information, contact Brandon Ouellette at (207) 231-0442 or email Brandon.Ouellette1@gmail.com.

C. Nadeau Logging of St. John Plt, ME joined the PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 2. For more information, contact Charles Nadeau at (207) 398-4130 or email leisanadeau90@gmail.com.

MK Logging Inc. of Frenchville, ME joined the PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 1. For more information, contact Matthew Lavoie at (207) 436-1809 or email kxrider564@hotmail.com.

Northern Clearing Inc. of Brownville, ME joined the PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 48 in Maine. For more information, contact Shawn Mitchell at (207) 7488021 or email smitchell@northernclearing.com.

BTL Road Co. of Fort Kent, ME joined the PLC as a new Forest Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 7.

For more information, contact Barry Ouellette at (207) 834-6711 or email lew-noux@fairpoint.net.

M. Rafford Trucking Inc. of Ashland, ME joined the PLC as a new Forest Contractor Member in December 2019. The company has a professional staff of 15. For more information, contact Nancy or Mark Rafford at (207) 435-6530 or email bridges@rafford.com.

Waratah Forestry Attachments of Newnan, GA joined the PLC as a new Preferred Supporting Member in November 2019. The company has proudly served the global forestry industry for more than 40 years, pioneering mechanized harvesting with first-class products of distinct quality, durability, and reliability paired with unparalleled customer support. Waratah is dedicated to delivering high-quality, innovative, and proven products developed with customerdriven focus. Waratah aspires to be the preferred equipment provider in the forestry industry, and proudly supports that community worldwide from locations in Australia, New Zealand, Eastern and Western United States and Canada, South America, Finland, and Russia. For more information contact Linda Bartram at 770-6920380 or email linda.bartram@us.waratah.net

Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel of Portland, ME joined the PLC as a new Enhanced Supporting Member in October 2019. The company is a fullservice semi-trailer dealership that offers parts, service, rentals and sales. Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel is the exclusive dealer for Manac trailers in the state of Maine. For more information contact Neal Bangor at (207) 232-7969 or email nbangor@haletrailer.com.

Looking Ahead, Looking Behind

By Dana Doran

At the end of one year and the beginning of the next, it is always important to look in the rear-view mirror to see what transpired and to try to make improvements. 2019 was the 24th year for the PLC and our 25th year in 2020 should be even more productive as a result. We are looking forward to a monumental celebration of all that the organization has done over the past 25 years at our Annual Meeting on May 8, 2020 in Bangor.

Over the past year, I have spent a lot of time chronicling the challenges that the Maine logging industry has been up against. It has been a bumpy road as we have seen family-based businesses that that have been in operation for multiple generations either

significantly downsize or go out of business completely.

Continuing with that theme, I have heard from quite a few of our members that they are reticent to recommend succession to their children because they just don’t see the future as being better than the past. If this is true, this is very concerning as family-based businesses generally don’t seek help from the outside.

As I’ve traveled across the state this fall and spoken with many of our members about their business operations, much of the focus has been on the “next generation.” There are a lot of young people that want to get into the logging industry or are kids of family-based businesses. More often

From the Executive Director

than not I’m hearing that the ownership is telling them not to go into the family business and to look for other opportunities, go get that college degree, work in manufacturing or general construction or stay out of the business altogether. This is not a positive sign of a healthy bottom line and certainly should not be the number one take away from conversations when markets are coming back.

What it is a sign of is that family -based businesses are fed up. They are fed up with the long hours. They are fed up with the lack of family time. They are fed up with the lack of weekends and they are fed up enough to tell their kids that they shouldn’t be doing it.

This is a sad state of affairs and a message that will need to change if this industry is going to continue to provide fiber for mills to succeed in Maine.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it

again, everyone must succeed in the chain. It can’t be two links of the chain that do well at the expense of another. It has to be all links of the chain in the end.

Businesses don’t decide to hang it up overnight and they don’t tell their children to move in another direction without deep reservation and thought. It happens generally as a result of a death by a thousand cuts and at some point, you have to give in.

Parents also shouldn’t have to tell their kids to go in another direction. They should be proud to have their children take over their business and thrive just like their grandparents did or the generation before. We must change the tone and the narrative so that this bad news story doesn’t continue.

To stem this tide and do our part to change the conversation, I have found myself trying to correct the wrongdoings of the past that many weren’t aware of,

Doran Continued Page 16

COBURN GORE - This year, Pepin Lumber Inc. adopted a new company logo in the shape of a steep mountain, and if you spend any time with owner Maurice Pepin and his logging crews, you’ll soon find out why.

Pepin Lumber routinely operates in some of the steepest, ruggedest terrain in Maine. When you travel through this mountainous region along the U.S.-Canadian border and see harvested slopes just below the peaks hundreds of feet above the valley floors, there’s a good chance Pepin Lumber crews were the ones who cut there.

Pepin Lumber started as a family business and it remains one today. Family members involved with the business include Maurice, his wife Julie, daughter Mylene, sons Cedric, Alex, and Carl, and Cedric’s wife, Marieeve.

The company has grown a lot since Maurice established it in 1981. Back then, Maurice had already logged with his father, Roland Pepin, for years with horses and later - over the objections of his father - with his first skidder, a Timberjack 230 that he bought in the late 1970s.

At one point Maurice did consider a career other than logging, and he even spent several months in Florida doing drywall, but he hated the heat and the work and he came back to the woods and logging. He has been doing it ever since, though when asked about retirement he said if it weren’t for his children being in the business, he’d be gone by now. Mylene doesn’t agree.

“You can take the logger out of the woods, but I don’t think you can get the ‘logger’ out of the guy, ever,” Mylene said of her father and his dedication to the woods and the business. “He’s off on Sundays, and he’ll be loading wood, and if he’s not in the woods logging, he’ll be tapping trees because him and his brother Philippe also own a sugar house.”

Pepin Lumber started out small and grew slowly. As recently as the early 1990s it had only a few employees, but over time it has become a major logging firm and anchor of the local economy, with nearly 40 employees today; three whole tree logging crews and one cut-to-length crew; subcontractors including chipping; 14 trucks; full road and bridge building capability; mechanics and a mobile maintenance vehicle; garages in Stratton and in Woburn, Quebec; and the office in Coburn Gore.

Pepin Lumber has cut for years on large commercial timberland for landowners including Weyerhauser,

Pepin Lumber Inc.

American Forest Management, and H.C. Haynes. The company has also worked on Wagner and Seven Islands lands, though less frequently, as well as for other landowners. They cut a lot of wood, trucking 90-100 loads to mills in an average week, or around 140,000 tons a year. You can’t get that kind of production year after year without running an efficient, professional company, and Pepin Lumber clearly is one. In an industry where employee turnover is high, Pepin Lumber has highly

skilled workers including many long-term, veteran employees. Maurice concluded long ago that the higher cost of running newer equipment is worth it to achieve greater efficiency, reliability, and employee happiness. That all translates to better production, so Pepin’s trucks and logging equipment is high quality, much of it state-ofthe-art.

Business is good right now, wood is moving and there is no lack of work. Even chips, which for many

Pepin Continued from Page 11 16 loggers in Maine are no longer worth trucking, are a market Pepin Lumber can take advantage of due to proximity to mills like ReEnergy Stratton, Maurice said. There are plenty of challenges, just as there are for loggers throughout the region. As veteran workers age it is hard to attract replacements. One of Pepin’s delimber operators is 73 years old - he retired and before long he decided to come back to the woods. Watching him work it’s hard to imagine how anyone could be a better operator, but he won’t work forever and that skill is something that took decades to achieve. Getting new operators is hard, especially in a remote place like Coburn Gore. More than half the workers are bonded workers from Quebec.

“If we didn’t have the bonded workers we wouldn’t be able to operate,” Mylene said. “That’s our biggest issue. A lot of younger workers, when they find out where we are actually located they lose interest, Coburn Gore is an unorganized territory so amenities such as cell phone signal, grocery store, restaurant are not available. However, we offer lodging at our garage located in Stratton which offers everything but if the worker is not from the area, he will rarely stay, being away from their family can be hard on the worker.”

underway on both sides of Route 27 south of town. The sun was out, but the roads remained icy and snow in the woods was already getting deep. The logging crews had been working for hours, and the radio crackled steadily with

The scale of operations is a challenge to manage now that the company is large. So is the cost.

“My fuel bill is twenty to thirty thousand dollars,” Maurice said. “A week.”

With multiple crews and jobs and facilities, Pepin Lumber isn’t a business you can see in just one place, you have to travel. On a recent late November morning, Maurice and Mylene left the Pepin Lumber office in Coburn Gore to do that, visiting company operations

truck drivers and machine operators checking in, both in French and English.

The first leg of the day’s trip was into the woods north of 27, winding on a road through mountains topped with wind turbines to sites where Pepin crews were busy cutting, processing, and trucking wood.

At the highest point, a feller buncher was grinding up a slope laying down trees. Below, delimbers were at work processing wood, including near a power line - a hazard operators were keeping a careful eye on as they worked. The road to the highest yard was too icy for trucks so Maurice had directed the crews to bundle the logs and use the grapple skidders to get them to a lower landing where they were being piled, slashed or loaded.

On the radio but more often in person, Maurice checked in with each employee he passed, listening, making decisions, giving instructions, moving on. One delimber operator was busy repairing the head on a machine and he stopped to talk. He talked to drivers as trucks were loaded and headed out for Route 27. This process of overseeing operations spread across many miles makes for a fairly typical day for her father, Mylene said, though to see as many employees and machines gathered in one area as they were at this site was unusual and often it would have taken more time and miles to see so much of the day’s operations before noon.

Traveling further to the northeast, Maurice visited his son, Cedric and another worker, who were busy with an excavator building a wooden bridge over a small stream to

Veteran delimber operator Jacques Bilodeau

Pepin Lumber’s newest truck, running on ice in December.

extend a logging road toward one of the nearby ranges in preparation for logging this winter once the ground freezes completely. With much of the bridge already in place the job was more than half done and would likely be complete by the end of the day. For Pepin Lumber, building and maintaining roads and logging bridges is routine and necessary to keep operations rolling in the remote areas where the company harvests.

Cedric oversees this as well as most moving of equipment, dealing with employees, plowing, and more. He does a bit of everything, Mylene said, while her brother

Carl operates a truck with a self-loading crane and her brother Alex operates the company’s cut to length harvester. Her mother, Julie, has been critical to the company from the very beginning, running the office and keeping the paperwork in order and supporting her husband every step of the way.

Leaving the bridge, Maurice stopped to check out the shiny new black Kenworth truck - the company’s newest - that had hauled the excavator to the spot on a low bed. Pepin Lumber tends to use the older trucks mainly in the woods and the newest for the runs to the mills.

Alex Pepin at work in Tigercat harvester.

Pepin Continued from Page 136

Traveling back south and west with trips up side roads to visit additional sites in the area where Pepin Lumber had wood yards or operations underway eventually brought Maurice and Mylene back to Rt. 27 in the early afternoon, where Pepin trucks were headed for the Sappi mill in Skowhegan on this day. Pepin trucks wood to mills in both Quebec and Maine, though the majority ends up in Maine.

A short distance away, a road on the south side of the highway led to another Pepin crew logging on Penobscot land in the Alder Township parcel, with a grapple rumbling through the trees feeding wood to a delimber while further on a slasher was cutting and sorting logs as a Pepin truck rolled up to begin loading. Maurice stopped to talk with the operators and the driver, then it was back on the road to return to Route 27.

Now midafternoon and with the light beginning to fade it was time for a quick trip back to Coburn Gore for fuel before heading down Big Island Road to woods just beyond a pond. There, a short distance up a skid trail, Alex Pepin was working alone in Pepin Lumber’s only processor - a Tigercat 822D with a Logmax head. Pepin Lumber added this cut-to-length capability in 2017 as more landowners began to request it, and Alex was cutting not far from the pond where the machine is a good fit for selective harvesting and low impact logging.

After checking in with Alex, Maurice and Mylene headed back at sunset to the office where Julie Pepin was still hard at work.

With so many members of the Pepin family so involved and committed to its success, it is hard to imagine Pepin Lumber won’t still be logging in the mountains of Maine for years and generations to come. Maurice is now logging on lands he cut years ago when he first started in the woods, and the family hopes to keep that tradition going.

That future is one reason Pepin Lumber Inc. joined the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine. The company is a valued member that has supported PLC’s efforts to fight for the logging industry in Maine.

This past summer, Pepin Lumber stepped up to

support the PLC’s third Mechanized Logging Operations Program (MLOP) class in a big way, donating classroom and apartment space in their Stratton garage for students and instructors to use, donating the services of their mechanic there and the facilities and tools to keep the class’s equipment operating, and visiting the site to offer technical assistance and to set up yards, sort wood, and get the wood hauled efficiently, PLC Safety and Training

Coordinator Donald Burr, said.

“They showed great patience with our wood piles,” Donald said. “The Pepins were great to work with and this cooperation between a logging contractor and a college program is unique and was a huge shot in the arm to the students in the class.”

Fifteen students started that class in the summer of 2019, and all 15 graduated. On the day Maurice and

Mylene toured Pepin Lumber’s operations in November, one of those graduates, Payton Ross, was at the first job site running a delimber, part of the logging industry’s future now thanks to Pepin Lumber.

That future will be challenging, and some of those challenges will be steep, but Pepin Lumber is used to that, and they’ll still be there, logging in the hills and mountains of Maine.

Pepin Lumber operations underway near Kibby Mountain and in Alder Township. Clockwise from top left, Mechanized Logging Operations Program graduate Payton Ross operating delimber, slasher at work , Maurice and Alex Pepin, Pepin truck being loaded.

Doran Continued from Page 9

hoping that a few less cuts would stop the bleeding. These are the small cuts that I referenced earlier.

One clear example of this would be how and why information was shared by the Maine Forest Service with outside organizations during active investigations of contractors between 2011 and 2018. This information was then used as leverage against contractors without their knowledge by wood buyers and was ultimately used against them without due process of law.

I discovered this in the summer of 2018 when one of our members was being used as an example of poor workmanship during a meeting of the Maine Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s Standards Implementation Committee (SFI SIC). It turns out that the Forest Service was sharing information from investigations with the SFI SIC. The member had no knowledge that they were under investigation by the Forest Service nor that their job site was being used as fodder for a public discussion. It quickly became apparent that this was not the first time that this had occurred and that the Forest Service had a long track record of doing this going back several years.

At that point in time, when the Forest Service was confronted by this discovery, we were told that this was standard procedure and that they had been doing it for years because they felt that this was a way that they could change behavior. Astounded by the fact that a public agency was not only violating the rights of the business by sharing information with an outside organization but was using it as a leverage strategy to change behavior, I decided that we needed to push back and ensure that this never happened again. The state police would never share information from an active investigation with an outside organization, nor should the Maine Forest Service.

After a discussion with the Attorney General’s office about this action and the submission of a bill to

the legislature to make this type of behavior illegal, we believe that this practice will not occur again.

In our work with the Maine Forest Service, we are also speaking with them about making sure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect. One example of this is looking at statements or polices that the Forest Service has that single out activity that could be done by anyone (loggers, foresters, wood buyers, etc.) but focuses specifically on the contractor as the only liable party. What we need to say is that there are forest professionals that could include contractors, foresters, wood buyers, etc. that could behave unethically. It’s not just contractors that do bad work and therefore they shouldn’t be the only ones that are singled out.

At the end of the day it really comes down to mutual respect. Providing respect for the forest and earning that same level of respect in return. We believe we have that respect in the leadership of the Maine Forest Service now and that only good things lie ahead. The addition of Patty Cormier as the Director of the Forest Service has a been a breath of fresh air and we are very excited that Ms. Cormier has taken our issues to heart and is not only revamping the customer service mission of the Bureau but is also ensuring that all of their constituencies are treated equally.

As you know, much of my time is spent at the state legislature fighting back against harmful legislation, finding ways to use policy for cost savings (tax exemptions), using policy to create markets (wood energy) or looking for spare change in the couch cushions to help with logger training in high schools and for our community college program. In January of 2020, the Legislature comes back to town for the short session (January-April) and it is that time again to ensure that loggers and truckers are not harmed by the actions of our elected officials and

Doran Continued Page 18

perhaps are positively impacted.

Since athletics are a big part of my background, I tend to use basketball analogies to explain much of what we do at the legislature. That said, we are usually on the defensive end of policy discussions in Augusta, with more time spent defending ourselves against unnecessary laws and regulation rather than moving the ball down the court in a position to score. Everyone knows that the key to winning is outscoring your opponent so if you can’t score, you can’t win.

Over the last decade, we have accomplished a great deal in Augusta, which we should all be very proud of. Yet, at the same time, there have also been small tweaks made, predominately on the regulatory side in state agencies, and much of this occurred without our involvement or without our knowledge. The impacts are generally hidden and their impacts are not felt for years afterward.

Turning now to the year ahead, we will set our sights on Augusta as our friends in the Legislature return on January 8, 2020 for the short session, which is scheduled to be completed in April. For the most part, we do not have new issues to tackle, but a few carry over bills from 2019 that still require action. And while we need the attention and support of the Legislature, more importantly we also need the support of the Mills Administration to move them across the finish line.

All of these issues will help with the crisis that our contractors are facing with overall financial health as well as workforce supply. As noted in previous articles, not only will this industry require 3,000 new people in the next 10 years, we also need to change the narrative that this is not a good industry to work or operate in if you are the family member of a contractor or a new entrant looking for a viable long term career in rural Maine.

Specifically, we need assistance with:

1. Workforce Development (MLOP and CTE training) – In a supplemental budget, support increases in funding for equipment at Career and Technical High Schools (CTE). Support a $7.5 million request for workforce training funding at Maine’s Community Colleges to assist our Mechanized Logging Operations Program in 2020 and 2021

2. LD 1498/Canadian bridge advantage

Since 2003, a Canadian bridge weight advantage (Madawaska, Van Buren, Calais) has led to $108 million in lost economic opportunity for Maine’s loggers and truckers and 25 jobs/annually because of an unlevel playing field with Canadian contractors.

3. Master Logger and LD 1698 – A tax credit for increased manufacturing capacity should also provide recognition for logging companies that meet a 3rd party performance standard. If Maine

takes the lead to recognize good work by contractors, others will follow.

We know that there will be issues that we will need to defend ourselves against during this short session, but we are very hopeful that the Governor and all members of the Legislature come together to help our family based businesses moves forward with the actions that they take in this short session.

Lastly, I want to touch on the tremendous generosity of our membership and supporting members over the past year with our Log A Load for Kids program.

At the end of 2018, we decided to expand our program in size and scope by providing resources to two hospitals instead of one and also by adding another golf tournament in southern Maine. While this endeavor was a bit risky because of the additional workload and because we were not sure how much more we could ask, the results show just how amazing our membership is. In 2019, we provided $137,000 to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland (a

new partner) and to Northern Light Eastern Maine Health in Bangor. This is a 45% increase over 2018 and continues to show that the when the logging community is faced with a new challenge, they will always rise to the challenge to meet it. I couldn’t be prouder of the commitment and dedication to this cause and the contributors who stepped up even more so in 2019 to ensure its success.

I hope the winter is productive for all of you and I look forward to celebrating 25 years of PLC success on May 8th in Bangor!!!

Dana

4. Wood energy – LD 912, Wood Energy Investment Program – encourage new thermal energy markets in rural Maine and provide a path forward to replace four million tons of lost wood energy production.

Trucking

Trucking Industry News...

Reminder: FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Deadline 1/6.20…

Changes to the Data Required on the Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form and the Alcohol Testing Form Required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Beginning January 6, 2020,

To ensure you are prepared on January 6, 2020, when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) becomes operational, we want to remind you about an upcoming change related to recording information on the Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (CCF) and Alcohol Testing Form (ATF).

What Changed?

The current versions of the CCF and ATF specifically permit the use of either the driver’s social security number (SSN) or employee identification number (EIN) when completing the CCF or ATF. However, effective January 6, 2020, FMCSA is requiring that the commercial driver’s license number (CDL) must be used instead of the SSN or EIN when FMCSA-covered drivers’ positive drug or alcohol test results are reported to the Clearinghouse.

Therefore, Employers, Consortia/Third Party Administrators (C/TPAs), Collection Sites, Laboratories, and Medical Review Officers (MROs) may want to ensure that their respective data systems can accommodate a donor identification number of up to 25 alphanumeric characters.

What does this mean for Employers, C/TPAs,

Collectors and Alcohol Technicians?

In accordance with 49 CFR 382.123(b), the person completing the CCF or the ATF must annotate the driver’s CDL number and State of Issuance in Step 1, Section C of the CCF or Step 1B of the ATF for each FMCSA-regulated test.

If the employer or C/TPA does not provide the CDL and the State of Issuance, then the collector or alcohol technician should ask the driver for this information at the collection site.

Even if the CDL number and State of Issuance is not listed on the CCF, the collector must send the controlled substance test specimen to the laboratory for testing.

What does this mean for Laboratories?

Laboratories who receive a CCF that indicates this is a FMCSA-regulated urine specimen but does not have the driver’s CDL number listed in Step 1 C should process the urine specimen without delay, and send the results to the MRO.

What does this mean for the MRO?

When the MRO receives a laboratory-confirmed positive drug test result for a FMCSA-regulated employee, and the CCF is without the driver’s CDL number and State of Issuance listed, the MRO should contact the driver, driver’s employer or designated employer representative to obtain it. The MRO will report the verified positive test result in the Clearinghouse.

For additional information, please visit https:// clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov or send an email to

Trucking

clearinghouse@dot.gov

This guidance is not legally binding in its own right and will not be relied upon by the Department as a separate basis for affirmative enforcement action or other administrative penalty. Conformity with this guidance (as distinct from existing statute and regulations, including 49 CFR Parts 40 and 382) is voluntary only. Nonconformity with this guidance will not affect rights and obligations under existing statutes and regulation.

Federal Regulations in Part 382.601(b)(12) also require motor carriers to update their drug and alcohol testing policy.

The following is a checklist of the necessary steps to be ready for 1/6/2020: FMCSA also has an excellent FAQ section of the clearinghouse that is very helpful: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

If not already done, open a portal account for your

USDOT #: https://portal.fmcsa.dot.gov/login make sure to select DACH Admin as one of the allowable roles.

Create an account with the Clearinghouse and link the portal account and clearinghouse account: https:// clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/

1. Issue updated company policy to all drivers, drivers should sign model policy and receive printed educational material.

2. Purchase bundled query plan from the clearinghouse that suits your business model. This feature should be active in November.

Trucking Industry News... Trucking

FMCSA has updated the News and Events page on the ELD website with trainings and webinar recordings for the motor carrier industry and ELD providers...

The ELD News and Events page at https:// eld.fmcsa.dot.gov/Support/NewsAndEvents has been recently updated with the information below.

NEW: Interactive Training Courses

FMCSA has created and posted two interactive ELD training courses to provide a refresher to help ensure that motor carriers and drivers subject to the ELD rule, and ELD providers, are prepared for the December 16, 2019 deadline for full conversion from AOBRDs to ELDs. Topics include data transfer methods, the difference between ELDs and AOBRDs, and how to address technical issues or maintain device compliance.

Q&A Session Recordings

In August, FMCSA held a series of live question and answer sessions on ELDs. Recordings available include:

Watch the Motor Carrier and Driver Q&A Session Watch the ELD Provider Q&A Session

ELD and eRODS Enforcement Training

Access this interactive training course for a peek into one of the ways FMCSA and State enforcement personnel are trained to use ELDs to review hours-ofservice data and determine violations. You can View ELD and eRODS Enforcement Training here: https://eld.fmcsa.dot.gov/Support/NewsAndEvents.

Trucking

U.S. Department of Transportation Awards Over $77 Million in Grants to Improve Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety…

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced that it has awarded $77.3 million in grants to states and educational institutions to enhance commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety.

“Safety is the Department’s top priority and these grants will further assist state and local officials in their efforts to prevent commercial motor vehicle crashes,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

FMCSA announced:

$43.3 million in High Priority (HP) grants to enhance states’ commercial motor vehicle safety efforts, as well as advance technological capability within states.

$32 million in Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grants to enhance

efforts by states to improve the national commercial driver’s license (CDL) program.

$2 million in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training grants to sixteen education institutions to help train veterans for jobs as commercial bus and truck drivers.

BANGOR - Heavy equipment dealer ChadwickBaRoss Inc. is celebrating 90 years in business this year, and for all that time, loggers have been a cornerstone of the company’s customer base.

Chadwick-BaRoss was founded as the Portland Tractor Company in 1929 by Frank Mileson and Lawrence Murray. Located at 803 Forest Avenue, Portland, Maine, the company prospered and grew with two major lines of equipment - crawler and wheel tractors manufactured by the Oliver Corporation, and heavy duty all-wheel drive trucks manufactured by the Walters Corporation. Municipal sales were the primary market for the company at that time, with logging being secondary.

In 1959, the Portland Tractor Company was purchased by Caterpillar manager Robert P. BaRoss and Oldsmobile dealer Richard Chadwick and the company adopted the name that it still has today. Richard served as president of the company until 1973, when Robert succeeded him, serving until 1990, at which point he sold his shares back to the company. Ownership of the

company has changed over the years since, and today the company is owned by ISH Capital, Inc.

The company has branches in Caribou, Bangor, and Westbrook Maine; Concord, New Hampshire; Chelmsford, Massachusetts; and Warwick, Rhode Island.

The Chadwick-BaRoss many Maine loggers have known and depended on during their careers was shaped greatly by the company’s status as a dealer of Timberjack logging equipment for more than four decades, and by the company’s purchase in 1985 of Timberland Machines, Inc. a wholesale distributor of outdoor power equipment and dealership for logging, industrial and municipal equipment in New England - the outdoor power equipment portion was sold and the remainder of Timberland merged into Chadwick-BaRoss.

John Thebarge is General Manager of the Chadwick-BaRoss Bangor dealership at 188 Perry Road, which was a Timberland dealership before ChadwickBaRoss purchased Timberland and moved its Bangor operations from the Hogan Road to the new location. He

began his career with the company during that period, but spent his first years at the Westbrook dealership where construction equipment is the main market. When he came north to Bangor in 1992, it was a different story.

“The Bangor store has always been a major logger supplier, same with Caribou,” John said. “We’ve got some dedicated Volvo guys out of here as well on the dirt side, but most of our business has been through the logging industry, that’s what’s kept us moving along up here and that’s what there is here today still.”

As a full sales, parts, and service company, Chadwick-BaRoss works constantly with loggers to keep their operations going and improve their efficiency. The company has built that relationship with skilled, knowledgeable, experienced employees, John said.

“That’s one thing about Chadwick-BaRoss, there’s a lot of longevity, we’ve got employees with 40 some years

with the company, it’s a company you stay with,” John said.

The other thing that has built the company’s success with loggers is good brands and service, John said.

As mentioned previously, one of those brands when it came to building a solid relationship with loggers was Timberjack, a mainstay of Chadwick-BaRoss’s logging business for 45 years until it was purchased by John Deere. The loss of Timberjack created a challenging period for Chadwick BaRoss’ logging business, John recalled.

“

Once Timberjack got absorbed into John Deere we had to find another line, so we eventually ended up with Ponsse, which is a cut to length system out of Finland. The Ponsse line’s been a great line for us,” John said. There have been other changes in logging brands over the years as well, and a recent addition to the Chadwick-BaRoss forestry line is Eltec, a newer company

Chadwick-BaRoss

Continued Page 26

Photos: Opposite and above, Ponsse Bear harvester at work, Chadwick-BaRoss is the authorized Ponsse dealer for all of New England. Below, Chadwick-BaRoss General Managers John Thebarge, at left (Bangor store) and David Sickles (Caribou store).

based in Val-d’Or Quebec.

“Ponsse’s been around for a while so people know them and know who they are, but the Eltec buncher is a new line that is out there, that is a brand people should look at and try, they’re awful good machines for sure,” John said.

With the current lineup of brands and facilities and employees, Chadwick-BaRoss is in a great position to serve the logging industry, and the acquisition of the company by ISH Capital Inc. in 2016 has only strengthened that position, John said.

“They bought us in October of 2016, and we went back to being a privately-owned company which is a much better situation for us. Being a family run company the way they are they’ve been around forever and they’ve done a good job and you can see them investing in the company and so you know they are here to stay so that’s been a good thing,” John said. “We’re probably at 150 employees now, company-wide, and it will expand as we move along.”

Chadwick-BaRoss has had a close relationship with many members of the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine for decades, even before the

formation of the PLC, and the company has supported PLC’s efforts from the very beginning and today is a Preferred Supporting Member of PLC.

Chadwick-BaRoss appreciates the opportunity to work with loggers, who are direct, honest, and loyal to their brands when you earn their business with reliability and good service, John said.

The company is well aware of the challenges loggers are facing today, from markets to weather to worker shortages, and sees its support of PLC as one more way to help them continue to succeed in a tough industry, John said.

The future of that industry is something the company is obviously concerned with, and John mentioned the PLC’s efforts to encourage young people to enter the industry through programs like the Mechanized Logging Operations Program as particularly important. That future is something Chadwick-BaRoss plans to be part of, John said.

“We’ll be in the woods business for as long as the company is around, it’s part of our heritage,” John said. “As long as they’re cutting wood we’ll be here.”

Chadwick-BaRoss Continued from Page 25

Professional Logging Contractors of Maine receives FAME Education at Work for Maine Award

PORTLAND - The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine received the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) Education at Work for Maine Award Thursday evening at FAME’s annual meeting and awards event, Showcase Maine, at Portland’s Holiday Inn By The Bay.

Nominated for the award by Northern Maine Community College (NMCC), PLC was selected for its role in creating Maine’s only postsecondary training program for operators of mechanized logging equipment, the Mechanized Logging Operations Program (MLOP).

The program was launched in 2017 thanks to a partnership between three Maine community colleges including NMCC, the PLC, and industry partners including Milton CAT and Nortrax/John Deere. It has been supported since its inception through Maine Quality Centers, a program to develop and support skilled in-demand and high wage occupations in Maine.

“The PLC is honored to receive this award on behalf of our members and pleased that it will bring additional visibility to the program, which continues to grow in success and in importance to the future of the logging industry in Maine,” Dana Doran, Executive Director of the PLC, said. “We would like to thank FAME for the award and for recognizing the value of the program and the collaboration it represents. The logging contractors of the PLC deserve credit for both identifying a need for skilled new workers in the industry and for tackling this ambitious solution to meet it, and we are grateful to the community college system, state lawmakers, Maine Quality Centers, and our valued industry partners for joining us in making it a reality.”

Fifteen graduates of the third and largest MLOP class were recognized Sept. 19 at an event held in the woods of Western Maine where they spent weeks harvesting timber using sophisticated state-of-the-art mechanized logging machines. Previous classes were held in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Plans are already in motion to offer two classes in 2020

and a location for those classes is now being finalized.

“This program provides a direct pathway to a good-paying, exciting career in the Maine woods at a time when there is huge demand for new workers,” Doran said. “There is no better or more efficient way to gain the experience and knowledge you need to become an equipment operator in the logging industry.”

Showcase Maine is FAME’s annual celebration of its successful partnerships with Maine’s business, lending, governmental, and higher education

communities. The evening featured a reception, including a showcase of exhibits by Maine businesses and educational organizations that partner with FAME; a dinner and awards presentation; and a keynote speech by Maine’s own U.S. Army Staff Sgt. (Retired) Travis Mills entitled “Never Give Up. Never Quit.”

FAME is a quasi-independent state agency that provides financial solutions that help Maine people achieve their business and higher education goals. FAME helps to create a Maine workforce that with good -paying jobs by focusing on the nexus of economic and educational development. FAME recently was recognized for the fifth year in a row as one of the Best Places to Work in Maine.

To learn more about FAME, please visit www.famemaine.com.

PLC honored for Mechanized Logging Operations Program

PLC Executive Director Dana Doran accepts the FAME award on behalf of the PLC Nov. 21 in Portland.

Wheel Safety

ByDonaldBurr

PLCSafety&TrainingCoordinator safety@maineloggers.com

Let’s talk wheels. The number one thing that I have learned while researching this topic is that after all the wheels I have put on vehicles I should have known more. It is true I was ignorant on what, how and why a wheel stays on the truck. All who know me know I don’t like to be ignorant, so here goes - all you need to know about wheels and were afraid to ask.

No matter what kind of wheels you are dealing with, (Hub Piloted, Stud Piloted (Bud), or the older Dayton wheels), wheel installation comes down to clamping force and how it is being applied. If you understand nothing else you need to understand clamping force and what kind of hardware performs the clamping force. Some of the hardware is very similar and even fits well, but not right. To get proper clamping force, wheels and hubs need to be clean, uncracked, and installed straight to get maximum contact between wheel and hub. The contact needs to be straight on so that there will be no movement when the wheel nuts apply proper force. See images 1 & 2 for proper alignment.

From the first to the last step when dealing with wheels you need to observe and pay attention to what the wheels are telling you. I am not going to give you step by step just the highlights with the what & why.

After you disassemble a wheel, clean & inspect, look for cracks, bad threads, stretched stud bolts & stretched or oblong rim stud holes. This is the only time you have to give the area behind the rims a thorough inspection, because a driver cannot inspect this area during the pre-trip. Pay very close attention to the studs at the face of the hub, where cracks can be hidden from view.

When you are ready to install the wheels, for a hub

piloted wheel, put two drops of oil on the stud and inside the nut, set the hub so that the pilot face is at the 12 o’clock position and start tightening at that 12 o’clock stud

Wheel Safety Continued Page 30

Wheel Safety Continued from Page 29

only to 50 foot-lbs., going around in a star pattern. At this point reevaluate if the wheel is straight (square) so that it spins round. If the wheel does not spin round the wheel will never stay tight, then loosen and retighten and check again that the wheel spins round. If the wheel spins round, then finish the wheel nuts to a torque 450 – 500 foot-lbs. If you are using stud piloted wheels tighten the inner cap nuts first to 50 foot-lbs. in a star pattern, then go around in the same pattern to 450 – 500 foot-lbs. Next the outside wheel in the same pattern 50 foot-lbs. and again 450 – 500 foot-lbs. Both type of wheels need to be re-checked after 50

100 miles. Please note that when the stud piloted wheels are checked you need to remove the outer nuts then check the toque of the inner cap nuts.

Remember over torqueing can be just as bad as under torqueing.

There are a couple of tools that can assist in tire cleaning & inspection

For cleaning the studs: Tru-bal has a tool $148.00 https://www.tru-bal.com/other-accessories/x-2756-sb.html

http://www.haltec.com/pc/Inspection

For lining the rims up: Tru-bal has this tool which comes in numerous sizes for your need. https://www.tru-bal.com/solution-a

Last word here is the OSHA (1910.177) standard for wheel work done by a mechanic. The bottom line is that all employees who work on tires & wheels shall be trained in the proper procedures in removal and installations. The Tire Industry Association has 3 levels of training (Basic Commercial Tire “200” / Commercial Tire Service “300” / Commercial Tire Service Instructor “400”).

The OSHA standard can be found at: https:// www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/ standardnumber/1910/1910.177

An OSHA poster can be downloaded at: https:// www.osha.gov/Publications/wheel/3401tubeless-truck-bus -tires-wall-chart.pdf

This

inspect hub-pilot wheel systems to include: M22 x 1.5 wheel studs, wheel nuts, and disc wheel bolt holes.

Did you know?

Check out the PLC Safety Video on Wheel Safety at: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=jodBZFYkJYU&feature=youtu.be

1. That torque wrenches should be checked and calibrated annually.

2. OSHA has a standard for employees who change tires.

3. That you should start with the hub piloted flange at the 12 o’clock position and tighten that lug nut first.

4. That you should tighten all lug nuts to 50-foot lbs. then check to see if the wheel is centered before you finish tightening to 450 – 500-foot lbs.

5. It is important to do a good inspection while the wheel is off because damage there could never be seen from a pre-trip inspection by the driver.

gauge is designed to

Safety

Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance Quarterly Safety Meeting: Slips and Falls in the Logging Industry

Production is critical to the lifeblood of a logging company, so it’s important to recognize the cost and loss of production associated with seemingly simple incidents like a slip, trip or fall. With all the uncertainty in the industry today, it seems trivial to worry about something as simple as a slip and fall, but it’s a hazard that increases significantly with the ice and long hours that accompany the winter months and the costs can be detrimental to the profitability of the business.

The injuries that occur can have severe, lasting effects and can affect your enjoyment of both your work life and your personal life. Implementing some simple changes can have a dramatic effect on your exposure to these types of injuries.

SPECIFIC AREAS, DIFFERENT APPROACH

Three points of contact is an industry buzz word that continues to ring true. When climbing on and off vehicles and equipment, you should keep both hands free so you can always have three limbs in contact with the machine. This means that you should set your lunch box and coffee into the cab from the ground before climbing up into the machine – rather than attempting to climb into the cab with your hands full.

There is no arguing that forestry equipment can be relatively less user friendly when it comes to getting into the cab or accessing the engine compartments. Some of the best solutions we have found are from companies who encourage their operators to come up with ideas on how to prevent slips and make access easier. Typically, these changes are as simple as adding a step or hand hold with some scrap metal and a couple hours labor. If you have an idea for a way to improve access, please bring it to your supervisor’s attention.

Truck drivers and machine operators are perhaps the most common demographic that experiences injuries from slips on a logging operation. In a typical scenario, the employee jumps out of the warm cab into the freezing cold, they are in a hurry, and they have been sitting in the seat for potentially hours. As soon as they get out they start working, such as hurling 50 feet of nylon or cable over a load or replacing a hydraulic line that just blew. The ground and equipment are covered in glare ice, and when the employee moves their body they slip and fall and get hurt. How do we prevent this? First, we need to understand what causes accidents like these. Without going into excruciating detail, when you sit in the same position for an extended period of time (like a truck or machine seat), your body’s muscles stretch into that position and become tense.

When you jump out and start performing physical labor, your muscles haven’t had a chance to warm up, which can significantly decrease your ability to stay on your feet and increases your chances of being injured when you take a fall. Your best defense from slip injuries is to implement a basic stretch program where you take a minute and stretch your back out when you exit the truck or machine. This may not prevent the fall itself, but it can significantly reduce the chance of being injured when you do take the fall.

YOUR FEET COUNT

It shouldn’t go unsaid that there are some manufactured options that can assist in reducing the likelihood of a slip, trip or fall. This includes things such as cleats designed to fit over your boot that will increase traction.

It’s important to consider what you are wearing on your feet. Logger style boots with the elevated heels on them are not great in the winter. The soles are much harder than a traditional boot and the style gives you little control over weight distribution when on ice. A more traditional style work boot with a lower heel and a softer sole can be a better option. There are a lot of options out there for boots, and you should spend some time researching which will best suit your needs for winter.

CONCLUSION

This safety meeting has presented a few different ideas that have been implemented in the field and could be effective in helping you prevent accidents from occurring. Slips, trips and falls are something that has haunted the logging industry since the first time an ax was placed to wood. In order to prevent slips, trips and falls, you need to start with the recognition that the way you have always dealt with the issue may not be the best way. Listen to your employees, learn from others, and don’t be afraid to try something out of the box. It just may work.

Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit of its customers. Please note, however, that nothing herein should be construed as either legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services. This material is for informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness.

Safety

*This sign-in sheet is intended to be used with the quarterly Safety Training Topic on page 31. Refer to the cutline on page 31 when removing it from the magazine.

$135,007 Raised!

BREWER – The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine has raised a record $135,007 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Maine this year through its annual Log A Load for Maine Kids fund raising efforts.

PLC Executive Director Dana Doran presented a check for the funds Dec. 5 to Northern Light/Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland. The check was presented at the Forest Resources Association monthly forum in Brewer.

“The PLC went into this year’s Log A Load fund

drive determined to raise more money than ever, and added a second golf tournament, in Lovell, in partnership with the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital as part of that effort,” Doran said. “The success of the new tournament and the continuing strength of our tournament in Lincoln combined with record funds raised at our annual meeting this year resulted in a 45% increase in the net total funds raised above and beyond 2018. This wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering support of our membership, our supporting members, volunteers, generous sponsors and donors. The PLC is proud of this effort and proud to be part of the forest products value chain in Maine.”

Left to right, Kelly Pearson, Director of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital program at Northern Light Health, PLC Executive Director Dana Doran, and Kate Richardson, Children’s Miracle Network Senior Philanthropy Manager for Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.

Log A Load Continued from Page 33

Accepting the check were Kelly Pearson, Director of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital program at Northern Light Health, and Kate Richardson, Children’s Miracle Network Senior Philanthropy Manager for Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.

This year the PLC held Log A Load golf tournaments Sept. 6 at the Kezar Lake Country Club in Lovell, Maine and Sept. 20 at JATO Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Maine. The spring PLC Annual Meeting Log A Load auction is also a major fund raiser. Additional

funds are raised throughout the year through the sale of PLC items as well as donations.

The PLC and the Northern Light Health Foundation (formerly Eastern Maine Health Systems Foundation) have partnered in the Log A Load fund-raising effort since 1996. Donations, which have now surpassed $1.2 million, have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children in Maine as possible. Eastern Maine

Medical Center in Bangor is a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital and includes a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that has received support for years from the PLC’s Log A Load efforts.

The South Carolina Forestry Association started the Log A Load for Kids program in 1988. Originally, the concept was for loggers, wood-supplying businesses, and other industry supporters in various states including Maine

to donate the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Nationally, Log A Load for Kids is a leader in CMN Hospitals’ fundraising, raising more than $2 million annually through golf tournaments, fishing events, dinners, truckloads of log donations and other events. For more information, please visit www.logaload.org.

jessica@maineloggers.com

Plans are already underway for Log A Load events in 2020!

PLC News Briefs...

Christmas trees supplied by PLC members the Voisine's (of Voisine Brothers Inc. in Fort Kent) from their Allagash View Farms were sold at Austin Street Brewery in Portland to help the PLC support the work of the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. PLC Ornaments were also sold there to benefit the effort!

The PLC was represented at the 3rd Modern Maine Wood Heat Symposium Nov. 4 by Executive Director Dana Doran(panelist), PLC Board Member

Bob Linkletter of Linkletter & Sons Inc.,

Matt Bell of PLC

Supporting Member

Northeast Pellets, and Alden Robbins of PLC

Supporting Member Robbins Lumber (panelist).

Planningforthe Unknown

ByTomGilbert WaterResources Specialist MaineForestService

One of the fundamental BMPs we like to discuss at the Maine Forest Service is pre-harvest planning. Pre-harvest planning is a good business practice as well as an important BMP, as it avoids many problems. Planning will help reduce costs, make the job more efficient, protect roads and trails that will stay in place after the job, leave the job looking better, and protect water quality. It may even put your mind at ease during a heavy rain late at night.

However, how do we plan for increasingly warmer, wetter seasons? Increasing temperatures and more rain or snow has become the norm across the northeast, and as a result, weather has become more and more difficult to rely on and plan for. The table below compares average monthly weather conditions in the Northeastern US for the period from 20102018, with the 1980s. Note that the darker colors indicate the most significant increases.

particularly in the fall and in key parts of the winter logging season from that of 1980. So how must logging operations adapt to this new reality? Despite the additional challenges of a changing climate, the fundamentals of pre-harvest planning remain the same. These include:

✓ Identifying the locations of streams, wetlands and other sensitive areas;

✓ Laying out the harvest operation on the ground;

✓ Planning to avoid those wet areas whenever possible;

✓ Choosing appropriate BMPs for the entire harvest and for closeout before beginning work;

And last but not least is anticipating site conditions. Taking into account and anticipating warmer temperatures and more precipitation may be the most important first step in adapting harvest operations to a changing climate. This may influence the timing of when some sites are harvested or a more aggressive use of structural BMPs throughout the site to account for larger volumes of water.

There are a range of structural BMPs that may be used to minimize soil disturbance and soil movement, but one important principal to keep in mind is that BMPs should be used throughout the entire site, and function as a system which works to control water in small amounts. When they are appropriately chosen, installed correctly and maintained regularly, they may extend the harvest season, reduce equipment wear, increase skidding efficiency and protect your investment in roads and stream crossings.

During a time of increasing climate challenges, it is more important now than ever to review the fundamentals of forestry best management practices, and how they apply to the conditions of each specific site.

For more information on fundamental forestry BMPs please see our field friendly BMP manual, Protecting Maine’s Water Quality, available on our website:

The data above reveals increasingly warmer temperatures and increasing precipitation,

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/ policy_management/water_resources/ bmps.html

Berry, Alison. Bick, Steven. Frederick, Paul. Steele, Al. McLarty, Michael. Hollinger, David. “Warmer, Wetter Logging.” The Northern Logger and Timber Processor May 2019: 20-24. Print.

Video of a Maine timber harvest from the landowner’s perspective released by PLC and TCNEF

The Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) and Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNEF) have partnered to produce a new educational video of a timber harvest by a professional Master Logger that highlights the perspective of the landowner and the steps necessary to balance the needs of the landowner while working in collaboration with the contractor to conduct proper forest management.

Shot at a site in Damariscotta, Maine in the fall and early winter of 2018, the video titled, “Working with a Professional Master Logger: The Landowners Perspective,” shows the before, during, and after phases of a harvest and the careful planning by the logger, CTL Land Management Services of Washington, ME, to ensure the aesthetic and forest health goals of the landowner are met in addition to the financial objectives.

CTL Land Management Services is a PLC Member and a certified Maine Master Logger.

Combining aerial footage, scenes of mechanized logging equipment in action, and unscripted interviews with the landowner, Nan Kennedy; with Master Logger Gavin McClain of CTL Land Management Services; and

with Forester Barbara “Barrie” Brusila of Mid-Maine Forestry, the video provides a quick and comprehensive look at a process that can be daunting for a landowner who has never experienced it.

“Many owners of small private woodlots who have never conducted a timber harvest on their lands do not have a clear idea what a professional harvest should look like and have legitimate concerns about what it will do to the character of their forest,” Dana Doran, Executive Director of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC), said. “This video shows them how a professional logger can help them achieve financial goals for their woodland while preserving or enhancing its health and recreational, aesthetic and wildlife value.”

“

Many Master loggers depend on strong relationships with small landowners to grow their business,” Ted Wright, Executive Director of the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands, said. “Some landowners don’t understand that a properly executed logging job is costlier than a poor job due to the extra planning and care taken, yet the reality is that good work and poor work is paid virtually the same at the mill. This video provides

landowners with context on the prep and planning and will further promote Master Loggers and reward those that provide landowners with a quality harvest, which is good for everyone that cares about the future success of this industry.”

The video also showcases the importance of a strong collaborative relationship between loggers, foresters, and landowners to achieve the best outcomes for

forest health, sustainability, and productivity. Well managed and profitable forests are key to preserving woodlands in the Northeast that might otherwise be lost to development. The PLC and TCNEF are committed to such an approach to ensure the health of the forests and the logging industry for the future.

The video is part of efforts to increase public understanding of Maine’s logging industry and its importance to the health of the state’s forests and rural economy. It is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=4uRHnSO1a9w

The PLC and TCNEF are encouraging organizations, agencies, and institutions with connections to or an interest in Maine’s forest economy to share the video. For those needing a version suitable for projection purposes, a high-resolution version is available for viewing or download at https://www.dropbox.com/ s/43drsr6h9uc4ypd/Landowner%201080p.mp4?dl=0

As We See It: November 2019

“Follow the Plan,Achieve the Goal”

By Shannon Jarvis

As loggers we have a cutting plan whenever we’re felling a tree. We know where we want the tree to fall. Sometimes it may not go perfectly as planned despite our best efforts. It might get hung in another tree, or it may go the wrong way completely. All sorts of things can and will happen. In the end, however, we focus on achieving the goal and we get the tree down.

Having a plan and achieving the goal is my approach to logging. This will also be my approach over the next year as President of the American Loggers Council.

My name is Shannon Jarvis. I am a 5th generation logger from the great state of Missouri, and I am my state's first certified Master Logger. I own and operate Jarvis Timber Company in Potosi, Missouri. I am a husband and a father of five. I am honored to have been chosen by my peers to serve as ALC president. I am grateful to follow in the footsteps of past presidents who have founded and grown the only national organization that's led by loggers for loggers, and I will seek to set an example for those who will follow after my term is complete in 2020.

My presidency will focus on executing ALC’s "five year plan," with the goal of strengthening its status as a national organization and an influential voice in forestry and natural resources. The goals of our plan are to attract more individuals to the timber industry; improve public relations and views on the timber industry; and build the Master Logger program, promote it, and help recognize the loggers who are doing the right thing.

I never set out to become the leader of this amazing group of individuals. I joined 10 years ago at the request of my state organization because they were interested in implementing the Master Logger program from the ALC. Along the way, I was inspired by the many great leaders that have been associated with this organization. I found that their causes became my causes. The ALC is a unique assembly of many similar, and yet vastly different people. The concerns of the Western members are drastically different from those in the Deep South. The same could be

said for every region that collectively gathers under the banner of “American Loggers Council”.

As an organization with a wide variety of issues and interests, from tariffs to excessive environmental regulations and everything in between, my approach to the ALC Presidency will be to follow the plan and strive to find common ground. I will encourage each logger to walk a mile in their fellow loggers' boots, and try to see things from a different point of view other than their own.

No matter what challenges may arise, we will put our boots on, lace them up tight, and go to work together. Then when the time comes for us to step down from our roles and pass the torch to the younger generations, be able to look back and proudly say that we left it better than we found it. We executed the plan and "got the tree down," and as a result we positioned the logging industry for a great future.

Shannon Jarvis owns and operates Jarvis Timber Company in Potosi, Missouri, and serves as President of the American Loggers Council. The American Loggers Council is an 501(c)(6) not for profit trade association representing professional timber harvesters throughout the United States. For more information please contact the American Loggers Council at 409-625-0206, or americanlogger@aol.com, or visit our website at www.amloggers.com

As We See It December 2019 “Improvise,Adapt, Overcome ”

By Danny Dructor

Just recently, I had the privilege to work alongside Hancock Natural Resource Management Group, Thomas Johnson Logging, and John Deere to organize and implement a tour that involved taking participants from the Federal Timber Purchasers Committee to an active logging site. The purpose was to showcase the latest technology that is being utilized in equipment operating in marginal ground, while first thinning a 12 year-old loblolly pine plantation.

The tour offered an opportunity to introduce US Forest Service employees from around the country to the in-the-cab technology that many operations are utilizing today to assist them with their efficiencies and productivity, recognizing that by planning timber harvests on US Forest Service land utilizing some of these same technologies as private industry, it could assist them in becoming more productive and efficient as well in both their sales preparation and sales administration.

Just prior to and during the tour, several issues occurred that had me focusing on what the challenges really are in the real world of forest management and timber harvesting, including an abundant amount of rainfall causing the contractor to move from the original tour site, a lack of cell phone service which made the “live” demonstration of the technology unusable, and finally ground conditions in a first thinning that were less than desirable due to the recent rainfall with more on its way.

What dawned on me by the time I was asked to summarize the tour two days later was the Marine Corps phrase, “Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.” That is what professional timber harvesters must do on almost a daily basis, and land managers such as the US Forest Service should be ready and willing to do the same. When things don’t go as planned we can either shut down, or we can choose to Improvise. The best made plans for managing and harvesting a stand of timber can come to a screeching halt just as soon as an insect or disease infestation attacks the stand, weather events such as tornadoes, excessive rainfall, straight line winds or hurricanes impact the area, and even loss of markets that were within a reasonable hauling distance to the tract of timber suddenly disappear. Sometimes we are given a warning of impending issues, but more often than not, we are exposed to these threats oftentimes while operating in an area.

The best way forward is to have a contingency plan for those times when you will need to rapidly adjust your original plan and be prepared to implement it. Most importantly, be flexible.

Adapt. While the best laid plans can take an unexpected turn, you should be willing to adapt to ensure your productivity and income does not. We should all be willing to take our contingency plan and adapt it to the ever changing environment around us. There are oftentimes no black and white solutions, but experience and knowledge and a good dose of common sense can lead to changes in an operation that result in the same- if not better- outputs.

Overcome. When we are challenged, we should face it head-on and work through it. Having a plan and a contingency plan are great, but the willingness to implement those plans completes that process of overcoming those obstacles that have tried to get in our way.

If the US Forest Service is going to be able to provide the management and harvesting levels that our National Forests desperately need to restore forest health, then they should train their employees to be willing to Improvise, adapt and overcome, just like the Marines. Handbooks and manuals are great guidance documents, but the on-the-ground managers of our nation’s forests must have the option of being flexible and stepping out of their comfort zone in order to be able to provide more operating days in a calendar year with different harvesting systems that can be deployed without fear of retribution for making a mistake.

Our Nation’s forests are renewable, and even if we have a small area where we made the wrong decision before correcting, those stands will still come back and be able to produce timber, provide wildlife habitat, and all of the other things that we manage or forests for including water quality and recreational opportunities.

The American Loggers Council will continue to seek to improve the sustainable management and timber harvesting of all of our nations forests, regardless of ownership, and we will continue to share your knowledge with those who have not had the privilege of planning and operating a sustainable timber harvesting operation. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

As We See It January 2020

“Loggers Seek Parity withAgriculture on Trade, Tariff Policies

The American Loggers Council (ALC) and its member state logging associations delivered letters to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue, asking the administration to include unrefined forest products as an agricultural commodity. ALC and its members say aligning timber and agriculture would enable impacted loggers to receive relief as the industry continues to be impacted by retaliatory tariffs.

"The West Virginia forest products industry has been, and continues to be, concerned that federal support for our products is not being treated equally with agricultural products," wrote Curt Hassler and William Robinson, representing the West Virginia Loggers Council. "While the agricultural sectors have been the primary beneficiaries of tariff relief, we believe it is time for forest products to be included in tariff relief policies. We stand ready to support policy initiatives that ensure all sectors of the forest products industry, including timberland owners, loggers, and mills, are no longer overlooked as a needed, valued, and sustainable industry in our national economy."

The logging associations noted that unrefined forest products, such as wood fiber and logs, are among the most widely exported commodities to foreign countries. Retaliatory tariffs have had severe impacts on certain sectors of the forest products industry, resulting in the closure of businesses and the loss of jobs.

"Even though the '2018 US Agriculture Exports to China" chart ranks forest products as the number two largest industry, the USDA does not list hardwoods on their website as an exported commodity," wrote Tommy Carroll, Executive Director of the Southeastern Wood Products Association. "As hardwood and other mills adapt to tariffs in their own operations, logging companies are feeling the impact in their operations as well. In addition, many forest landowners who have significant investment in their timberlands are experiencing a lack of demand and lower prices for standing timber."

The associations also noted that like agricultural commodities, unrefined forest products are also perishable

commodities that are sensitive to trade and tariff policies. "Trade or exporting wood products is vital to Oregon's forest sector economy," wrote Rex Storm, Interim Executive Vice President of Associated Oregon Loggers. "During recent trade debates we've come to realize the lack of federal government support for forest commodity consideration. Timber products are a perishable commodity susceptible to decay, insects, disease and fire- a perishable commodity that is 40 or more years to grow as a crop. Forest products are not treated equitably with agriculture." The associations thank Secretary Perdue and the Trump Administration for its efforts to support the forest products industry on various issues. Aligning timber and agriculture on trade policies would enable logging businesses to weather the impacts of retaliatory tariffs as the administration seeks to resolve trade disputes.

"The timber industry helped build the United States economy as well as agriculture," wrote David Livingston, Executive Director of the Mississippi Loggers Association. "We need to make them one in the same, for the only difference between agriculture and tree farming is the length of the crop rotation."

TCNEF wins FSC 2019 Leadership Award

ATLANTA - The Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNEF) has been named a recipient of a 2019 Leadership Award from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for its work administering the Northeast Master Logger Certification Program and managing an FSC-certified group of family woodlands. The awards were presented in conjunction with the 2019 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo Nov. 20, where former President Barack Obama gave the keynote address.

An FSC Leadership Award is a prestigious honor, bringing international recognition and visibility to a recipient. TCNEF was among 13 recipients this year. Past recipients have included The Nature Conservancy, Proctor & Gamble, The World Wildlife Fund Global Forest and Trade Network, and Staples, Inc., among many others. FSC Leadership Awards celebrate forest owners, builders, architects, retailers, paper mills, manufacturers, environmental organizations and many others who contribute to the movement toward responsible sourcing and forest management.

“From biodiversity and carbon storage to a sustainable supply of wood and fiber, people are waking up to the importance of responsibly managed forests to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges,” said Corey Brinkema, president of the Forest Stewardship Council U.S. “This year’s FSC Leadership Award winners demonstrate that we can conserve forests, fight climate change and protect wildlife habitat, even as we use forest products every day,” he added.

Ted Wright, Executive Director of the TCNEF and the Northeast Master Logger Certification Program, accepted the award in Atlanta Wednesday, Nov. 20 on behalf of the Trust.

“This award goes to and recognizes the exemplary forest professionals that have opened their operations to thirdparty certification through the Trust’s groups since 2003,” Wright said. “By recognizing and encouraging responsible timber harvesting we are increasing the amount of sustainably harvested wood in the market. The Trust also believes that responsible timber harvesting will ultimately benefit rural areas that are dependent on a wood economy, while balancing the world’s growing demand for wood products with the crucial need to preserve our forests for the future.”

TCNEF was nominated for the award by NEPCon, an international non-profit organization and leading provider of sustainability certification services including direct provision of Forest Stewardship Council™, Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture, and other sustainability certification services.

The Northeast Master Logger Certification Program was created in 2001 by the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) as the first in the world point-of-harvest certification program, offering third party independent

certification of logging companies’ harvesting practices. In 2003, PLC created The Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNF) to administer the program with the broader goal of “enhancing the health of working forest ecosystems through exceptional accountability” throughout the Northern Forest region.

Since then, 18 states have approved templates for implementation of the program and it has also been adopted as a model in other countries. For the past two years, TCNEF has led a national effort to promote the program. In addition to administering the Master Logger program, TCNEF administers an FSC® -certified group of family forest landowners throughout New England and New York. Under this arrangement forest landowners can inexpensively gain access to FSC® group certification. TCNEF is the administrative body that holds the FSC certificate and has overall responsibility for compliance with the FSC® Northeast Regional Standard. TCNEF also administers an FSC® -certified group of Chain of Custody that provides an information trail, established and audited according to rules set by FSC, for Master Loggers and wood products companies to ensure that wood comes from certified forests.

The Forest Stewardship Council, the world’s most trusted forest certification, is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of forests. FSC was created in 1993 to set the standards by which forests are certified, offering assurance to consumers and businesses that the wood products they buy originate from well-managed forests. More than 5,000 companies and nearly 160 million acres of forestland are certified under FSC in the United States and Canada. For more information visit www.fsc.org

TCNEF Director Ted Wright, at right, accepts the award on behalf of the Trust from FSC U.S. President Corey Brinkema.

Congressional Delegation Updates

Innovation is Fueling Maine’s Forest Products Industry

Maine’s forest-products industry is entering a new era with new products that combine the traditional basis of our rural economy with technological innovation.

This progress took a major step forward this fall at the University of Maine. Using the world’s largest 3D printer, UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center produced the world’s largest 3D printed boat and also produced a 3D printed boat mold consisting of wood and corn fibers. The boat is currently the world’s largest 3D printed object of any type. Guinness World Records confirmed these unmatched achievements.

This event was a wonderful preface to National Forest Products Week, which ran from Oct. 21-26. It was a time to celebrate both our heritage and a bright future exemplified by the exciting UMaine project. The biobased, cutting-edge boat mold, developed alongside Hodgdon Yachts, proved that wood can be an essential ingredient in this advanced manufacturing process. This

CHP Creates New Opportunity for Forest Industry

As the most forested state in the nation, Maine is blessed with immensely valuable natural resources. Our forests are the economic and cultural hub for communities across Maine, creating thousands of jobs that have supported families for generations and bringing millions of dollars to rural parts of our state. This industry has faced hard times, but it’s trending upwards in a real way. We need to build on this growth, by finding any opportunity to increase the efficiency of this sector.

Fortunately, our blessings don’t end with our woodlands. Maine’s forest products industry has a dedicated workforce and partnerships with key research institutions that are driving innovations that have the potential to turn previously untapped resources into new economic opportunities. One of the most promising new technologies is Combined Heat and Power, or CHP, which helps capture the heat produced through the generation of electricity and convert it into additional energy. The technique (also known as cogeneration) is very useful in wood mills, as demonstrated by Maine Woods Pellet in Athens and its partner Athens Energy. The pellet mill is currently using the CHP equipment at Athens Energy to turn the mill’s residuals into energy it sells back to the grid, and then employing the resulting steam as a means to both heat the facility and dry pellets manufactured at the plant. By maximizing the resource and increasing efficiency, the pellet mill is able to achieve serious savings. The technology is also in place at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, where I held a field hearing of the Senate Energy

project provides exciting new opportunities for Maine’s forest-products industry. As the 3D printing revolution grows, wood will be in greater demand for its proven properties as a strong, durable, and recyclable material.

UMaine’s project is a collaboration between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, which is a global leader in the additive manufacturing techniques that form the basis of 3D printing, and UMaine, a global leader in bio-based composites research and development. Together, these two research powerhouses will improve environmentally responsible advanced manufacturing throughout America and strengthen the forest-products industry right here in Maine.

I worked hard to secure $20 million in federal funding for this exciting collaboration this year. The Appropriations Committee on which I serve has included another $20 million for the next fiscal year. In addition, I championed the $454,000 federal grant awarded to UMaine to establish the Mass Timber Commercialization Center. Our University and our forest-products industry have the vision and expertise to discover innovative ways to develop new products from our natural resources.

Throughout Maine’s history, our forest-products industry has helped drive local economies and sustain rural communities. As the economy changes, this vital industry is evolving to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

and Natural Resources Committee focused on CHP in September 2017.

CHP supports Maine’s forest economy supply chain and creates important markets for forest product residuals, and UMaine is one of the nation’s leaders on this technology. In fact, it is one of only 10 designated CHP Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAP) in the nation, and the only center of its kind in New England. If you know of a facility that could benefit from these sorts of technology, there are folks at UMaine who can help.

In Washington, I’m working to support CHP technology however I can, including by allowing UMaine to build on the good work it’s already doing. I’ve joined Senator Susan Collins to introduce the CHP Support Act, which would fund TAPs like the one at UMaine so our state can continue to make strides that increase efficiency and decrease costs. And I’ve got good news to share: earlier this month, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed our bill with broad bipartisan support. This is a positive step, but there’s more work to be done. I’ll keep pushing to get it over the finish line.

Thank you all for your work to support Maine’s vital forest economy, and communities across our state. Wishing you the best this holiday season!

Sen. Susan Collins

Sen. Angus King

Update from Maine’s First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree

As the most forested state in the nation, Maine is home to many companies that grow and harvest commercial timber. Generations of Mainers have worked in logging and forestry, with many starting their own companies and finding success in family businesses. And as you know, these companies provide good-paying, steady work that we are all proud of.

As a farmer, I find that there are a lot of similarities between farming and logging. Both industries are largely supported by small family operations. And of course, both farming and logging are outdoor careers that attract passionate people who enjoy working with soil or trees.

However, in the eyes of the federal government or at least the Treasury Department forestry businesses aren’t considered to be “farming” businesses, even though both are inherently agricultural.

This oversight in categorizing the tax status of logging businesses is hurting Maine’s forest-products economy. In the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, passed and signed

Winter Update 2019

Many of our communities in Maine are built around forest products and the small businesses and good jobs they help create. That’s why I look for ways we can help Maine loggers succeed.

I’ve spoken to Maine loggers one-on-one about some of the ways the industry is changing, and some of the unique challenges they face nowadays. They’ve told me that they’re struggling to find enough trained workers, need improved infrastructure, and expanded markets for Maine wood fiber.

Supporting the logging industry is a bipartisan issue, so I’m working with Minnesota Republican Congressman Pete Stauber to lock in a new market for wood fiber. We’re pressing the Environmental Protection Agency to qualify lower-grade wood like wood scraps and salvage lumber as “renewable biomass” under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

This is important for our loggers. Because the

into law in 2017, the Treasury Department limited the ability of businesses to deduct their interest expense if their annual gross receipts exceeded a set threshold. Though agricultural industries were given an exception and are allowed to deduct their interest expenses, commercial timber is not explicitly included in those exceptions so it’s unclear whether timber fits in the category of “agricultural.” Smaller timber harvesting companies have been hurt the most with this unclear regulation and they’re the ones who could benefit from clarification or a change in policy the most.

I’m hoping to see Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin clarify this oversight and issue a rule that allows timber companies to take the agricultural deduction outlined in the 2017 tax bill. Treating logging entities differently than their other agricultural counterparts creates a disadvantage for private forest landowners and timber harvesting companies. I want to make sure Maine’s small timber-related companies are included in the exception for interest deduction so we can level the playing field and see economic growth.

Commercial timber is a capital intensive and low margin business. Any tightening of regulations, like limiting interest expensing, makes it more difficult to operate your business. No matter the issue whether it’s taxes, jobs, healthcare, or the trade war know I’m working in Washington to fight for you, Maine’s workers and small businesses.

EPA’s regulations about lower-grade wood are unclear, that means that sometimes perfectly good Maine wood fiber is turned away by the folks generating biomass energy. That’s a missed opportunity for our logging industry.

Biomass is an important market that makes use of products that need to be removed from our forests to keep them healthy. It helps our loggers, makes our forests healthier, and helps us lower carbon dioxide emissions. I’m always looking for opportunities to help Maine’s loggers. If you have a suggestion, please reach out. We want to hear from you. As always, it’s my honor to serve you in Congress, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

• Bangor Office: 6 State Street, Bangor ME 04401. Phone: (207) 249-7400

• Caribou Office: 7 Hatch Drive, Suite 230, Caribou ME 04736. Phone: (207) 492-6009

• Lewiston Office: 179 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240. Phone: (207) 241-6767

Washington Office: 1223 Longworth HOB, Washington DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-6306

Rep. Chellie Pingree

Rep. Jared Golden