[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 155 (Thursday, October 22, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7456-S7459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL FOREST PRODUCTS WEEK
Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has
designated this week as National Forest Products Week to recognize the
important contribution of forest products to our economy and
environment. This week means a great deal to industries and employees
in the State of Idaho and citizens nationally.
In Idaho alone, forestry, logging, wood products, and pulp and paper
production support more than 10,600 jobs, contribute over $430 million
to the local economy through wages, and produce a value of shipments of
over $2.6 billion. The industry continues to grow and is taking on new
and innovative projects like the development of tall wood buildings.
Over the past several years, a number of tall wood projects have been
completed around the world, demonstrating successful applications of
next generation lumber and mass timber technologies. Today, the concept
is gaining traction in the U.S.--with more architects opting for a
sustainable solution for attaining safe, cost-effective, and high-
performing tall buildings in urban dense settings.
Years of research and real-life experience have proven that wood
buildings can withstand the effects of major wind and seismic events.
These structures, when properly designed and constructed, protect lives
and preserve building function. Wood buildings are durable and can be
designed to last a lifetime. For example, a mass timber system was used
in the 1974 rebuild of the nine-story Butler Square Building in
Minneapolis. Heavy timber post and beam construction provided an
adaptable solution and has allowed the building to stand strong since
1900.
As we celebrate forest products this week, let us all thank and
congratulate those in the industry for their considerable contributions
to economies the world over and their development of cutting-edge
technologies that create better, stronger, and greener buildings.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, during National Forest Products Week, I am
glad to join my colleagues in highlighting the important role that the
forest products industry plays in Oregon and nationwide.
Many rural communities throughout Oregon were founded on the success
of the forest products industry. With fresh innovations and a focus on
sustainability, the industry continues to bolster these communities
year after year. In Oregon, the industry supports more than 37,000
jobs, pumping over $2 billion in wages directly into local economies.
Overall, the industry produces a combined product value of over $7.8
billion. By encouraging a sustainable forest products industry in
Oregon
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and across the country, we can help strengthen markets for wood
products, both here and abroad, and continue to ensure the success of
rural economies.
When harvested in a sustainable manner, wood can reduce carbon
emissions, and new state-of-the-art technologies using wood as a
building material have made timber more fire resistant and stronger
than ever. Wood has the potential to contribute vastly to a low-carbon
economy by locking up the carbon that trees draw out of the atmosphere
when they grow. Wood products like cross laminated timber also bring
down construction costs for multiple story buildings in large cities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has already recognized a project
in my hometown of Portland that will demonstrate the unique benefits of
timber as a building material for a new age. I'm proud that the
Agriculture Department gave one of two Tall Wood Building Prize
Competition awards to Portland, OR, and I'm looking forward to seeing
the 12-story wood building as a new addition to the Portland skyline.
Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, as we come together to celebrate National
Forest Products Week, I want to highlight the impacts and contributions
of the forest products industry to my home State of Oregon. In my
State, the forest products industry produces over 37,000 jobs;
contributes over $2 billion in wages to local economies; and produces a
combined product value of nearly $8 billion.
Oregon has forest land that covers over 29 million acres. We have 72
sawmills, millwork, and treating facilities, 49 engineered wood and
panel products facilities, and 11 other types of wood products
facilities, combining to make a total of 132 wood products facilities
in the State of Oregon. Forest products produce $262 million annually
in tax payments to support the rural and local economics in the State
of Oregon.
Forest products provide a clear value both for our economy and for
the environment. Currently, America's forests store 2.5 trillion metric
tons of carbon and capture nearly 13 percent of total U.S. CO2
emissions annually. One-half of the dry weight of wood is carbon; and
the lumber, wood products, and the wood used in buildings each provide
a carbon storage system. With advanced technologies, we are seeing
taller and stronger buildings made of wood--buildings that will last
for generations and help move us towards a more sustainable future.
In closing, I would like to express my support for the forest
products industry and their ongoing efforts to positively contribute to
the environment and submit these comments as part of this year's
National Forest Product's Week.
Mr. KING. Mr. President, in support of National Forest Products Week,
I would like to recognize the nearly 18,000 hard-working men and women
employed by the forest products industry in the great State of Maine.
Maine is home to about 40 wood products and paper manufacturing
facilities, which contribute over $900 million to the economy through
jobs and wages and over $4 billion in industry shipments of products,
making the forest products industry one of the largest manufacturing
sectors in the State.
Our Nation's forests are an essential element of our urban and rural
landscape. Covering more than 750 million acres across America, they
create opportunities for recreation and habitats for wildlife, and
their products play an integral role in our daily lives.
As the only renewable building material, wood requires less energy to
transport, construct, and produce in comparison to alternative building
materials. By increasing the use of wood products in construction, we
have the opportunity to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve the
environmental performance of buildings. Design and building
professionals are increasingly recognizing wood's environmental
attributes and helping to create strong markets for wood products.
The industry continues to grow and is taking on new and innovative
projects like the development of tall wood buildings. Over the past
several years, a number of tall wood projects have been completed
around the world, demonstrating successful applications of next
generation lumber and mass timber technologies. Today, the concept is
gaining traction in the U.S., with more architects opting for a
sustainable solution for attaining safe, cost-effective, high-
performing tall buildings.
Even with the advances of digital communications, paper also
continues to play a valuable role in our daily lives: from enhancing
education through written communications to capturing and preserving
life's most memorable moments. In my State, I continually hear from men
and women for whom paper is not only a preference, but for some, a
necessity. Forty-one percent of Americans over 65 years of age do not
use the internet. Eliminating paper as an option for vital government
communications--like the IRS tax instruction manual--impedes access to
critical information every citizen has a right to receive.
Thank you for the opportunity to recognize the hard-working men and
women employed by the forest products industry in Maine. I ask my
colleagues to join me in celebrating National Forest Products Week and
reflect on the positive economic, social, and environmental impacts
paper and forest products have on our everyday lives.
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the important role of
the forest products industry as we celebrate National Forest Products
Week.
Montana's forests are a treasured part of our State's heritage which
many of us hold so dear--not only are Montana's forests where we hunt,
fish, explore, and live, but our forest products industry provides
thousands of jobs for Montana families and a boost to our State's
economy.
Sadly, many forest products jobs in Montana have been lost this year
in large part due to an insufficient supply of logs from Federal lands.
I'm fighting for commonsense reforms to restore active management
across Montana so we can get more Montanans back to work, improve
forest health, increase access to public lands, and provide much-needed
sustainable revenues to our forested counties. These reforms must give
the Forest Service the tools and resources it needs to increase
responsible timber harvests and protect their work from obstructionist
tactics that continue to encumber a substantial portion of the timber
volume from Montana's national forests. Congress should enact these
reforms swiftly.
Further, as we seek to improve the performance of our buildings, we
should encourage the use of wood in the construction of Federal and
other commercial buildings. Montana is home to approximately 5
engineered and panel products facilities and 12 sawmills, millwork, and
treatment facilities that employ several thousand people across the
State. These facilities are working to advance innovative new
technologies, for example, cross laminated timber. I am proud to have
SmartLam, Inc., the very first and only manufacturer of cross laminated
timber, CLT, products in the U.S. located in the great State of
Montana.
CLT products are creating opportunities in the U.S. to build taller
wood buildings. Advancements in new technology utilizing engineered
``mass timber'' panels are creating new possibilities for wood. This
concept is gaining momentum in the U.S. as many successful
demonstration projects have been built and proven to be a safe and
cost-effective solution in urban dense settings. With more than 17 tall
wood buildings of seven stories or more having been built around the
world serving as demonstration projects, building officials, designers,
contractors, and consumers are increasingly confident in the safety of
these buildings.
I want to thank the individuals in the forest products industry for
their important contributions to my home State and for their efforts to
expand tall wood building projects across the Nation.
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I wish to join my colleagues in support
of the 55th National Forest Products Week and to recognize the more
than 26,000 hard-working men and women that work in the forest products
sector in Michigan.
Forests in Michigan and nationwide help keep our air and water clean,
provide wildlife habitats, and places for recreation. These forests
aren't just an environmental treasure; they are an economic powerhouse.
Michigan is home to nearly 200 businesses that manufacture everything
from office paper to wood pellets for home heating.
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Nationwide, our forests provide more than 900,000 jobs, creating almost
$240 billion in economic output every year.
This economic activity leads to new opportunities in rural
communities around the country. That's one reason why, as chairwoman of
the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, I worked
with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to ensure the 2014 farm bill
strengthened forestry programs and helped bolster rural economic
development.
Forest product companies are also leaders in the effort to increase
recycling. Today, 96 percent of all communities across the country have
access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling programs. On top of
that, the millions of Americans who recycle at home, work, and school
have helped recover more than 60 percent of the paper consumed in the
U.S. in each of the last 3 years. Picture this: each day our paper
companies around the country recycle enough paper to fill a 15-mile-
long boxcar train.
That type of leadership is great news for our planet and has some
serious economic savings as well. Already more than 110 mills around
the country are making paper using only recovered materials. And
efforts are on track to recover more than 70 percent of all paper used
by 2020. At the same time, paper can only be recycled a limited number
of times, so it's important that steps are taken to ensure sustainable
production of paper and forest products from our renewable forest
resources.
Forest products can also help us become more energy independent.
Manufacturers across the industry now use carbon neutral biomass that
comes from forest waste--materials like bark, wood scraps, byproducts,
and other unusable products--to help power their plants, reduce
emissions, and save energy.
For all these reasons, I am proud to serve as co-chair of the Paper
and Packaging Caucus with my colleague from Arkansas, Senator Boozman.
Thank you for the opportunity to recognize the hard-working
professionals of the forest products industry in the great State of
Michigan. I would urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating National
Forest Products Week and applaud the thousands of hard-working
Americans who are working hard every day to keep America as the leader
in forest products.
Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I would like to recognize National Forest
Products Week and the many women and men in Arkansas who rely on
forestry and the forest products industry.
As co-chair of the Paper and Packaging Caucus, I am glad to work with
my fellow co-chairs--Senator Debbie Stabenow and Representatives Reid
Ribble and Gwen Graham--to highlight the role that this vital industry
plays in our country.
About 25,000 Arkansans are directly employed in the forestry and
forest products sector. Arkansas is home to over 100 wood products,
paper, and packaging manufacturing facilities that make nearly $7
billion in products each year. Large and small employers dot the
Arkansas landscape. I regularly hear from and meet with Arkansas
families who earn a living and make great products at places like Green
Bay Packaging, Domtar, Deltic Timber, and Georgia-Pacific. Every year,
I meet with family tree farmers and small business operators who rely
on our forestry sector to build a successful future. And I track and
support efforts to responsibly manage and utilize our renewable Federal
forest resources. According to the University of Arkansas, the forest
and forest products industry produces $2.3 billion in wages that are
pumped into the Arkansas economy each year. This economic activity
creates and supports countless other jobs.
I also serve as the co-chair of the Senate Recycling Caucus. In this
dual capacity, I have seen the forest products industry's success in
pairing economic growth with respect for the environment. The industry
is making great strides in promoting sustainability and energy
conservation, especially by using carbon neutral biomass, which meets
about two-thirds of the industry's energy needs. Other successes
include boosting exports and encouraging recycling. Paper recycling
programs now reach 96 percent of the American people, and the industry
is on target to recover and recycle about 70 percent of its products in
the next few years.
At the same time, the industry is facing challenges--from problems
with our transportation policies and infrastructure to a regulatory
maze that is too difficult and costly to navigate. Here in Congress, we
need to solve these challenges together, through common sense,
cooperation, negotiation, an open process, and a clear-eyed analysis of
the facts.
We also need to support the industry as it transitions. While more
information is available digitally, paper and packaging products are
still indispensable to our modern economy. For example, many Americans,
particularly those in rural settings or with limited resources or
computer skills, have difficulty accessing information digitally.
That's why in general, and particularly at government agencies, the
format of information should be a consumer choice.
In conclusion, paper, packaging, and other wood products are at the
heart of modern life and a modern economy. I am glad to join my
colleagues in celebrating National Forest Products Week. These
recyclable and renewable resources make our lives better, and forestry
is truly an Arkansas success story--and an American success story.
Thank you.
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I would like to join Senator Crapo and
my colleagues in recognizing National Forest Products Week and in
recognizing the men and women of the forest products industry for their
contributions to our Nation and, in particular, my home State of
Washington.
The forest products industry employs nearly 30,000 people in
Washington, contributing $1.9 billion dollars in jobs and wages.
Employees work both in wood products facilities and in paper
manufacturing; and these facilities, and the jobs and wages they
create, have been a dynamic part of our economy.
I would like to commend the industry for its recent technological
advances and for continually looking toward the future. Forest products
have contributed greatly to improvements in energy efficiency in
buildings and their overall environmental performance. I am
particularly excited about new ``mass timber'' technologies, such as
cross laminated timber, CLT, that are now opening an entirely new suite
of opportunities. New technologies create new markets for wood and
healthy working forests.
Throughout our State, there is great interest in CLT. We are already
seeing this new product bringing innovation to the design and
construction of buildings. Tall wood buildings are now being built
around the world. The U.S. market is ripe for applying this new
technology to new construction. I appreciate the support that the
administration is providing for builders that want to use CLT. I expect
to see an increase in the use of CLT and an increase in the number of
facilities that create it.
Our forests and forest products play an important role in
sequestering and storing carbon. The use of wood in buildings provides
a great opportunity to make our buildings more environmentally and
energy efficient. This is a great example of the use of forest products
creating a healthier economy and environment.
Even though I have talked so much about CLT, I would like to commend
the men and women who comprise this industry for their many
contributions in Washington and around the U.S.
Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I appreciate this opportunity to recognize
the men and women of the forest products industry as we celebrate
National Forest Products Week. These folks represent a critical part of
my State's outdoor heritage and economy.
The forestry and forest products industries support nearly 5,000 jobs
in Montana and generate approximately $22 million in State and local
taxes. Today, Montana is home to 20 facilities that rely on forest
products, from sawmills to engineered wood and panel production sites.
In a time of increased global competition, when the U.S. Forest Service
has to spend over half its budget on wildfire costs instead of managing
our forests, the men and women who work in this industry deserve our
support. These are the folks who cut trees, transport them from the
forest to mills, process lumber, and make a wide variety of products
that
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we use every day. I remain committed to pursuing sound forestry and
trade policies that will ensure this important industry can compete
fairly, contribute to sustainable forest management, and continue to
provide good jobs in Montana.
The forest products industry is also looking forward to find new ways
to put our wood fiber to good use and create additional value for local
economies in Montana. In Whitefish, SmartLam, Inc. is the first
manufacturer of cross laminated timber, CLT, products in the Nation.
This Montana company is on the cutting edge of engineered-wood
technology for building construction materials. SmartLam is producing
more than a million board feet of CLT products a month and hopes to
open a new facility due to increasing demand. These products can aid in
the construction of taller, more fire-safe wood buildings and help
reduce the carbon footprint of the construction process. Innovative
wood construction systems are flexible and can be easily combined with
other building materials, offering alternatives for construction in
urban areas while supporting sustainable development in rural
communities.
In addition to providing good jobs, the forest products industry
plays a key role in the sustainable management of the more than 25
million acres of forests in Montana. Most of the forested lands in
Montana are managed by the U.S. Forest Service. We have seen industry
come together with a wide array of stakeholders in Montana to develop
collaborative recommendations for projects aimed at supporting local
economies, improving forest health, reducing wildfire risks, and
restoring watersheds. On private lands, industry has partnered with
conservation organizations to keep forested lands forested as
development pressures have grown.
In addition to National Forest Products Week, this week also marks
the fifth annual Montana Forest Products Week. There is no better time
to say thanks to the folks who work in Montana's forest products
industry.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to speak today about the
many contributions of the forest products industry, as we recognize
their important work during National Forest Products Week.
Wood products play a significant role in our economy. The U.S. wood
products industry employs more than 548,000 people in manufacturing and
forestry, and U.S. private forest owners support 2.4 million jobs and
$87 billion in payroll. In Maine, there are a number of wood products
manufacturing facilities, including sawmills, millwork, and treatment
plants, engineered wood and panel product facilities, and paper mills.
The environmental benefits associated with wood products--from
renewability to responsible forest practices to a light carbon
footprint--are helping to strengthen markets for wood products, in turn
stabilizing the wood industry's ability to create jobs and support
local economies. Moreover, sustainable forest management practices in
the United States maintain important forest values such as biodiversity
and wildlife habitat. Strong markets for wood products provide a
financial incentive for landowners to invest in their forests and keep
them healthy for future generations.
Design and building professionals are increasingly recognizing wood's
environmental attributes and helping to create strong markets for wood
products. Over the past several years, a number of tall wood projects
have been completed around the world, demonstrating successful
applications of next generation technologies. Today, the concept is
gaining traction in the United States where more architects are opting
for a sustainable solution for attaining safe, cost-effective, high-
performing tall buildings, particularly in urban dense settings. As the
only renewable building material, wood requires less energy to
transport, construct, and produce than other building materials.
In closing, I encourage my colleagues to support policies that
maintain and grow strong markets for wood products. As we celebrate
National Forest Products Week, I thank the employers and employees of
the forest products industry for their contributions to Maine and the
Nation.
Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, in support of National Forest Products
Week, I would like to recognize the more than 25,000 hard-working men
and women employed by the forest products industry in the great State
of South Carolina. With an annual payroll of almost $1.7 billion and an
estimated value of products manufactured in the State exceeding $9
billion, the forest products industry is among the largest
manufacturing sectors in my State and the largest valued agricultural
crop.
This is the 55th consecutive year that we are recognizing the forest
products industry for its contributions to our economy and to
sustainable manufacturing. The world has changed a lot since the first
National Forest Products Week in 1960 and so has the industry.
Over the last few years, with new advancements in lumber and mass
timber technologies, the U.S. has begun innovative projects to build
tall wood buildings. Over 17 tall wood buildings with over seven
stories or more have been built around the world, which served as
demonstration projects. Due to the success of these tall wood
buildings, contractors and consumers are more confident than ever in
the safety and high performance of these buildings. Additionally, with
the right safety measures, tall wood buildings can be designed to meet
and exceed fire safety requirements.
Wood buildings are durable and can be designed to last a lifetime.
Years of real-life experiences and research have shown that wood
buildings can also withstand effects of major wind and seismic events.
When designed and constructed properly, these structures are high
performing and provide the necessary strength and ductility to preserve
building function and provide life safety protection.
Similarly, paper and packaging products have grown with the demands
of a 21st century global economy. Made from a recyclable and renewable
resource, paper and paper-based packaging transport food, medicine, and
manufactured goods faster, further, safer, and more environmentally
friendly than ever before.
I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Forest
Products Week and reflect on the sustainable uses of America's forests
and the important contributions they make to our economy and our
national life.
Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, I wish to honor National Forest Products
Week. I would simply like to express my support for newly available and
continuously evolving opportunities to build with wood.
In the State of Idaho, the forest products industry makes significant
contributions to our local, State, and national economies. In Idaho
alone, we have 19 sawmills, millwork, and treating facilities and 4
facilities making engineered wood and panel products. These products
are increasingly used in buildings all around the globe.
As we all know, U.S. and global populations are rapidly growing. Over
the past several years, a number of tall wood projects have been
completed around the world, demonstrating successful applications of
next generation lumber and mass timber technologies.
Today, the concept is gaining traction in the United States. More
architects are opting for a sustainable solution to attain safe, cost-
effective, high-performing tall buildings in urban dense settings--many
of these projects already do or will use engineered wood products.
With more than 17 tall wood buildings of seven stories or more having
been built around the world serving as demonstration projects, building
officials, designers, contractors, and consumers are more confident
than ever in the safety of these buildings.
Thank you for this opportunity to recognize the many forest products
facilities and employers in my home State that are helping make these
tall wood building projects become a reality.
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