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The top story for this eNews—and perhaps the year—is the Commerce Department's ruling that hardwood plywood from Vietnam made using Chinese materials is subject to the duties on hardwood plywood from China. These duties are often more than 200%. This is a big win for U.S. workers and the U.S. manufacturers of hardwood plywood in the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, which filed the circumvention case more than three years ago.

DHA has also joined a coalition that provided detailed comments on EPA's proposed emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants from the plywood and composite wood products industry. The proposed standards are the result of a court order that overturned EPA's previous determination that no further action was needed.

The journal Nature published a study by the World Resources Institute that claims forestry and forest products increase climate change and that forests should be left standing for climate mitigation. This doesn't factor in the data that shows that unmanaged forests tend to burn and will not simply remain standing in perpetuity.

Keith A. Christman, President
Decorative Hardwoods Association