Arkansas Forest and Paper Council

Representing Arkansas pulp, paper, packaging, wood and tissue products manufacturers and forest landowners.

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AF&PC Opposes Self Regulation of Cooperative Services- SB23

Vote no on SB 23

The Arkansas Forest and Paper Council is opposed to SB 23 and its companion bill HB 1055. The bill as amended is lacking in overall sensitivity to the needs of industrial customers for transparent and cost-based pricing needed to provide stability for Arkansas operations.

In the matter of economic stability, the ability of a local electric cooperative to move in and out of oversight by the Arkansas Public Service Commission creates a much more volatile economic set of circumstances that will inhibit the ability of rural communities to attract investment that provide much needed jobs and dollars for education.

This bill does not prohibit the cross subsidization of services by the local electric cooperatives using electric rate revenues to pay for additional services that cooperatives may or may not choose to provide to their members.

In the area of ratemaking the bill provides no transparency to the justification used by the local cooperative to determine the member rates established for rate class. The electric rural cooperatives along with their generation-transmission wholesale supplier already enjoy an abbreviated rate making process with reduced obligations to demonstrate cost of service. The new bill will further erode transparency, leaving minority large industrial members, at a long-term disadvantage, and without a recourse to demand cost-based, transparent, rates from their monopoly electric suppliers

This bill removes the local electric cooperative from oversight from the Arkansas Public Service Commission in all matters except those five areas listed in the bill. Additionally, this bill is established as the supreme ruling statute for all matters that may conflict with any current or future statue of the State of Arkansas.

The exemptions conveyed on the local rural cooperative will be a signal to the investment owned regulated electric monopolies to seek the same type of treatment using the economic disadvantage that is created as a sound reason to remain competitive with the local cooperatives.

In the matter of dispute resolution there is no appeals process identified for customers to follow. The five areas listed as still under the jurisdiction of the APSC would allow the APSC to be the adjudicating body. There is none for any other area of dispute.

Letter to Gov. Hutchinson re Covid

Notwithstanding the complexity of the decision making required to address the current COVID 19 crisis in every jurisdiction, in our nation. It is imperative that we not lose sight of the essentials required for our country to navigate and rebound from the current grips of the virus. The forest products industry in Arkansas is an essential partner in the fight to mitigate and eradicate the effects of the COVID 19 virus by producing products essential to the safety of the public and the operations of the medical community, providing remedies to the virus. The production of bath tissue, paper towels, food packaging, medical packaging all essential to the sanitized health of our citizens requires that these products production not be interrupted as the ripple effects can be devastating and long lasting.

The member companies of the Arkansas Forest and Paper Council are key producers and shippers of vital products needed for our country to weather this storm and want to ask that if you are confronted with the need to declare a “shelter in place” policy or any quarantine policy for our state that our industry be defined to be “essential business” operations and exempt from the restrictions included in such a declaration.

The products produced by our industry are essential for housing, hygiene, and health. Wood and chemical by-products are utilized, to the extent that there is no waste in our supply chains, by 95% of all businesses in our country.

The Arkansas forest products industry considers the health and safety of our over 28,000 employees and their families of upmost importance. Arkansas Forest and Paper Council member companies have reported to us that they have implemented COVID-19 health, safety and operational plans to support their employees, visitors and customers during this unprecedented time. Our members are manufacturing products that we all rely upon and they are adequately managing product supplies to support customers throughout the nation.

See the full letter by clicking here.

Industry News and Updates

AF&PC Opposes Self Regulation of Cooperative Services- SB23

February 1, 2021

Vote no on SB 23 The Arkansas Forest and Paper Council is opposed to SB 23 … [Read More...]

PotlatchDeltic Names new President/CEO

November 10, 2020

SPOKANE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (NASDAQ: PCH) PotlatchDeltic Corporation’s … [Read More...]

Clearwater Paper Announces Joanne P. Shufelt as New Consumer Products Leader

June 15, 2020

SPOKANE, Wash.-- Clearwater Paper Corporation (NYSE: CLW) a premier supplier of … [Read More...]

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Arkansas Forest and Paper Council
Arkansas Forest and Paper Council

Forestry pay far higher than average, data show
BY I.C. MURRELL
PINE BLUFF COMMERCIAL
Forestry jobs in Arkansas pay a 134% higher salary than the statewide average, according to research from the Arkansas Forest Resources Center. (Special to The Commercial)

A typical logging, lumber or furniture job pays about $15 to $20 per hour, but that wage can range between $30 and $40 per hour in the pulp and paper sector, according to research from the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.

Forestry jobs in Arkansas pay roughly 35% higher than the average county job and 134% higher than the state average, according to information released from the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.
The compensation for a forestry job is 200% or more higher than the county average in six counties including Jefferson, Ashley and Desha in Southeast Arkansas, and 150% or more higher in 14 counties, including Drew, Cleveland and Bradley.
The average employee in the state makes about $42,264 annually, but in the forestry field — counting wages and benefits — the average salary in the state is $56,526. Those numbers are attributed to information from the Arkansas Department of Commerce, which was processed by the Implan Corp. for economic analysis, according to a news release from the forest resources center.
In total, 51 of the 75 counties in the state pay higher than the average for a county employee, according to the research.
“We’re just trying to let people be aware that … to be quite honest, a lot of people think.....

read the full article at this link: www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/feb/05/forestry-pay-far-higherthan-average-data-show/
... See MoreSee Less

Forestry pay far higher than average, data show
BY I.C. MURRELL
PINE BLUFF COMMERCIAL
Forestry jobs in Arkansas pay a 134% higher salary than the statewide average, according to research from the Arkansas Forest Resources Center. (Special to The Commercial)

A typical logging, lumber or furniture job pays about $15 to $20 per hour, but that wage can range between $30 and $40 per hour in the pulp and paper sector, according to research from the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.

Forestry jobs in Arkansas pay roughly 35% higher than the average county job and 134% higher than the state average, according to information released from the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.
The compensation for a forestry job is 200% or more higher than the county average in six counties including Jefferson, Ashley and Desha in Southeast Arkansas, and 150% or more higher in 14 counties, including Drew, Cleveland and Bradley.
The average employee in the state makes about $42,264 annually, but in the forestry field — counting wages and benefits — the average salary in the state is $56,526. Those numbers are attributed to information from the Arkansas Department of Commerce, which was processed by the Implan Corp. for economic analysis, according to a news release from the forest resources center.
In total, 51 of the 75 counties in the state pay higher than the average for a county employee, according to the research.
“We’re just trying to let people be aware that … to be quite honest, a lot of people think.....

read the full article at this link: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/feb/05/forestry-pay-far-higherthan-average-data-show/
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Arkansas Forest and Paper Council
Arkansas Forest and Paper Council

Congressman Bruce Westerman is a leader who understands the importance of our natural resources to the strength and security of our nation. Congratulations on his new leadership assignment. Bruce Westerman

thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/528422-bruce-westerman-tapped-as-top-republican-on-house-na...
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Bruce Westerman tapped as top Republican on House Natural Resources Committee

thehill.com

Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) is slated to serve as the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee for the 117th Congress after being elected by the House Republican Steering Committee on...
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Arkansas Forest and Paper Council
Arkansas Forest and Paper Council

Maintaining a forest for ship building would make a lot of sense if ships were still made of wood. But they aren't. So why does the U.S. Navy maintain a white oak forest in the middle of Indiana?

taskandpurpose.com/mandatory-fun/constitution-grove-indiana-navy
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Why the Navy manages its own private white oak forest

taskandpurpose.com

The Navy grows a forest of white oaks in Indiana for the sole purpose of restoring and refitting the USS Constitution.
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Arkansas Forest and Paper Council
Arkansas Forest and Paper Council

PotlatchDeltic appoints Eric J. Cremers president and names Michael J. Covey Executive Chairperson.

investors.potlatchdeltic.com/news-and-events/news-releases/press-release-details/2020/PotlatchDel...
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PotlatchDeltic Appoints Eric J. Cremers President and Chief Executive Officer and Names Michael J. Covey Executive Chairperson

investors.potlatchdeltic.com

(NASDAQ: PCH) PotlatchDeltic Corporation’s board of directors today announced that Eric J. Cremers, currently the company’s president and chief operating officer, has been appointed president and ...
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Arkansas Forest and Paper Council
Arkansas Forest and Paper Council

Americans support each other in times of crisis. Thank you to the brave firefighters who are headed west to fight these historic fires that are destroying forests and threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands.We are so proud of the crew of firefighters who left Fort Smith today to go battle wildfires in Oregon!

Wildfires in California, Oregon, and Washington have burned over 2 million acres this year, causing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

The crew of 20 firefighters, named the “Razorback Crew”, is composed of five employees of the Arkansas Forestry Division, eight employees from the US Forest Service, two from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, two from the National Parks Service, and three from of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The crew chief is Les Miller, a Forestry Division Ranger from Conway County.

This team of firefighters will be working as an initial attack crew that will be sent to prevent new starts to wildfires. The non-federal crew members are being contracted by the US Forest Service to work in Oregon. The US Forest Service will be directing the crew to the areas of the state in most need of their service.

Two other Arkansas Department of Agriculture Forestry Division employees have also worked on fires in California recently and have returned.
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Americans support each other in times of crisis.  Thank you to the brave firefighters who are headed west to fight these historic fires that are destroying forests and threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands.
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