[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 94 (Monday, June 9, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1172-E1173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3021, 21ST CENTURY GREEN HIGH-
                PERFORMANCE PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. VIRGINIA FOXX

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 4, 2008

  Ms. FOXX. Madam Chairman, as a member of the Education and Labor 
Committee I would like to address an issue of concern with H.R. 3021, 
the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. 
Specifically, I bring to my colleagues' attention the fact that one of 
our Nation's most sustainable, renewable, and environmentally positive 
industries may be unfairly disadvantaged in the legislation that came 
before the House, June 4, 2008. The U.S. hardwood industry, which is 
prevalent in my own North Carolina district, but also extends 13,959 
total facilities throughout the country, may not be adequately 
recognized by any of the requirements we are putting into law for our 
Nation's schools. It would

[[Page E1173]]

be a travesty to have our prized native hardwoods effectively removed 
from new building projects only to be substituted with materials from 
foreign sources or less suitable alternative materials, often at higher 
costs.
  The United States Government is required under Federal law to 
undertake a nationwide inventory of forest resources. The most recent 
inventory published in 2007 by the U.S. Forest Service and referred to 
as the ``RPA Assessment,'' shows that hardwood growth has consistently 
exceeded harvest for the last 50 years. Between 1953 and 2007, the 
volume of U.S. hardwood growing stock has more than doubled. This solid 
growth in America's hardwood resource, coupled with the forest laws in 
the United States, provide strong evidence of good governance and 
efficient forest regulations.
  Specifically, I would ask that any green building standard required 
by H.R. 3021 give adequate consideration to a number of criteria:
  First, forest certification requirements included in green building 
standards still have very low participation amongst U.S. hardwood 
family forest owners. The vast majority of American hardwoods are grown 
in the eastern United States, where around 73 percent of hardwood 
forest land is privately owned by families whose ownership stretches 
back several generations. There are approximately 4 million private 
forest owners in the U.S. with an average parcel of land 50 acres in 
size which may be harvested only a few times in any generation of 
owners. When considering green building legislation, I would ask that 
the record reflect that we recognize the environmental credentials of 
American hardwoods in addition to any specific green building 
standards.
  Second, a typical American hardwood mill buys timber from 
approximately 1,800 forest owners in a single year. Those set of forest 
owners can differ completely from year to year. The certification 
requirements that are referenced in H.R. 3021 do not adequately address 
the challenges hardwood manufacturers face when working with thousands 
of owners to in effect ``prove'' the origin of the wood. It is 
understandable that finding certified hardwood is difficult at best. 
Any green building legislation should not discriminate against this 
proven renewable and viable resource in the United States on the basis 
of certification challenges.
  Lastly, any geographical limitations should be broad enough to allow 
U.S. products manufactured in one vicinity to be used in another part 
of the country. I am proud of the many Fifth District constituents who 
make products such as flooring and wood trim for projects throughout 
the world. Eastern or Midwestern manufacturers should not be prohibited 
from supplying their West Coast markets, nor vice versa, due to 
arbitrary geographical limitations put in place by green building 
requirements. Hardwoods are a natural product and cannot suddenly be 
produced in the proximity of the target market.
  It is my understanding that efforts are underway to assure that 
hardwoods are given full consideration in green building standards. As 
we consider mandating these requirements I urge that full consideration 
be given to these needed adjustments and that no new school 
construction project be forced to ignore one of our vital, beautiful, 
environmentally beneficial, and native material such as hardwoods.

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