Hardwood Industry's 2023 Policy Priorities Question Title * 1. Make your voice heard! Please complete this brief survey regarding the 2023 Hardwood Federation Priority Policies as they relate to your business so that we may best serve your interests in 2023. After reviewing below, please rank the issue on a scale of one star to five stars, with five being most important and one being least. In the comment boxes at the end of the survey, feel free to share any additional information that will help us fight for sound federal policies that will grow your business.Biomass – Fight for federal environment and energy policies that embrace the concept of carbon neutrality of biomass fuels. Advocate for recognition of biomass energy use and application of tax incentives for heat and power systems that operate on sawmill residuals. Also, support broad definitions of biomass in renewable energy programs to allow maximum use of forest and manufacturing secondary materials. Question Title * 2. Carbon Markets and Sequestration – Advocate for recognition of the carbon sequestration benefits of hardwood products across federal agencies and Congress. Promote the development of comprehensive lifecycle analyses and other mechanisms that account for the carbon mitigation benefits of hardwood products. Advocate for legislation incentivizing use of low-carbon construction materials. Monitor developments related to expansion of voluntary carbon markets. Question Title * 3. The Farm Bill is reauthorized every five years and covers significant forest and forest products related issues. This legislation is scheduled for action in 2023. Please rank the following issues within the context of the 2023 Farm Bill on a scale of a scale of one star to five stars, with five being most important and one being least. Farm Bill 2023 – Advocate for robust funding of the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program to support the American Hardwood Export Coalition’s efforts to grow U.S. hardwood exports. Industry will actively oppose any effort to eliminate funding for the program. Question Title * 4. Farm Bill 2023 - Advocate for creation of competitive grants to support consumer education about the multiple benefits of U.S. made hardwood products, including sustainability, low-carbon impacts and job growth in rural, underserved communities. Question Title * 5. Farm Bill 2023 - Promote benefits of hardwood products in federal programs. Question Title * 6. Farm Bill 2023 - Promote use of wood-based biomass as fuel for heat and power. Question Title * 7. The Administration will likely focus on regulatory actions during the next two years to move its agenda forward. Please rank the following issues on a scale of one star to five stars, with five being most important and one being least. Federal Agency Actions – Advocate against Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) efforts to expand the reach of the Clean Air Act (CAA), including possible revisions to the Maximum Achievable Control Technology standards for industrial boilers (Boiler MACT) and expansion of “non-attainment” areas with respect to air quality standards. Question Title * 8. Federal Regulatory Actions – Advocate against EPA efforts to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act (CWA), including implementation of a new “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule and related permitting requirements. Question Title * 9. Federal Regulatory Actions – Monitor Department of Interior (DOI) revision and implementation of various rules under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and work to assure that preservation and enforcement efforts under the ESA will not adversely impact hardwood harvesting operations. Question Title * 10. Federal Forest Management - Engage Congress and the Administration to focus U.S. Forest Service (USFS) resources on advancing sound management and responsible fiscal policies which will restore federal forests to optimal levels of health and productivity. Advocate for better forest management, including increased timber harvest sales, pest and disease control, and fire mitigation funding. Question Title * 11. Government Purchases – Advocate for increased government purchases of U.S. structural and finished wood products for federal building and transportation projects. Question Title * 12. Immigration Reform - Support balanced immigration proposals which address the challenges of the worker shortage, workforce diversity in a manner that minimizes compliance burdens on employers. Assist our supply chain partners in advancing federal policy to make supply of foreign guestworkers readily available for critical tasks such as planting of trees. Question Title * 13. Innovative Wood Products - Promote innovative uses for wood and wood products via the Wood Innovation Grant Program and research related to the carbon storage benefits of hardwood products, development of Hardwood Cross Laminated Timber, and other opportunities. Continue to promote and protect hardwood products through Congressional and Administrative federal building guidelines and ensure that hardwood products are fully recognized in any Green Building programs, incentives, or mandates. Specifically, advocate for recognition of hardwood as a sustainable material through various Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). Question Title * 14. Lacey Act - Continue working with supporters of the Lacey Act to secure adequate funding of agency implementation to assure full compliance. Also, continue to advocate against Congressional actions that would weaken the Lacey Act. Amplify the message that illegal logging undermines domestic, law-abiding companies that cannot compete with artificially low-cost raw materials that are illegally harvested from international forests. Promote the World Wood I.D. initiative. Question Title * 15. Tax Reform - Advocate for tax measures that promote the growth of hardwood manufacturing and private forests. Preserve and make permanent provisions within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that support small and family-owned businesses and incentivize investment in hardwood operations. Question Title * 16. Trade - Fight for increased access to international markets and export growth, including the reduction of burdensome tariffs and allocation of resources to the industry. Support international trade agreements that benefit the hardwood industry. Question Title * 17. Transportation and Infrastructure – Urge the Administration and Congress to address critical land transportation issues such as truck weight reform, driver shortages, hours of operation, and young driver programs. Advocate for policies that will mitigate and eliminate transportation bottlenecks hindering the distribution of hardwood products internationally, including implementation of shipping reform regulations. Question Title * 18. Workforce Development – Advocate for programs that promote workforce training, retention and development in a manner that addresses workforce shortages that hinder growth. Question Title * 19. Workplace Safety – Advocate for workplace safety polices in a manner that minimizes compliance burdens on industry. Question Title * 20. Do you have any comments on the issues you selected above? Question Title * 21. Please list any other federal legislative or regulatory issues that are of concern to you and your business. Done