NEWS

Bipartisan legislation, the Fostering Overseas Rule of Law and Environmentally Sound Trade Act, was reintroduced in December. The goal of the FOREST Act is to fight illegal deforestation by preventing commodities from illegally deforested land from being sold in the U.S. Earlier versions of the bill included timber, pulp, and paper; these were removed as they are covered under the Lacey Act.

New bipartisan legislation, supported by the Hardwood Federation, is designed to increase demand for hardwood products. If passed, the bill would authorize grants of $25 million over five years to support the hardwood industry and research into the consumer benefits of hardwoods.

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Scientists at the Department of Energy and Yale concluded that effectively managed U.S. forests can remove one billion metric tons of atmospheric carbon by 2050, making forest management a key pillar of U.S. net zero emissions targets. The report cites EPA data showing that U.S. forests and "the wood products they produce removed about 800 million (metric tons) of carbon in 2021" and lists biomass fuel production as a tactic to help mitigate carbon emissions.

A newly published FAQ by the European Commission shows some positive changes in how the controversial EU Deforestation Regulation will be implemented. While the new FAQ is marginally better and appears to support a compliance system AHEC is developing, it's based on a flawed regulation that imposes significant bureaucratic and discriminatory requirements on small farmers—even where risks are negligible.

DHA's challenge to laminate flooring marketed as "wood" was recognized as one of the top two most popular, most-read stories of 2023 by Wood Floor Business.

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