PLC Member Weekly Update June 7, 2024

PLC CDL Training June 26-28

On June 26-28, the PLC will offer Members its 2nd FREE CDL training class for their employees and there is STILL TIME TO REGISTER!

Details:

1. Employees attend a PLC 3-day class (In-person in Augusta, ME or live online) that covers the 30 topics that FMCSA requires from Regulation 380, App. A. (Theory)
2. At the end of the class, the PLC submits the employee’s information for the state permit test (Maine and Vermont).
3. The contractor will provide Behind-the-Wheel training and will schedule the state driving test with guidance from the PLC.

Below is a link to a short video about the training process.  

To enroll, please reply to this email with the name of your employee / employees that are interested in attending the training.  The deadline to sign up for the June CDL Training is June 14th. Space for the class will be limited to 10 in-person and 20 online, so sign up as soon as possible.  

MLOFT Instructors Needed!

Are you a retired or former logging equipment operator? The PLC’s Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking (MLOFT) Program is looking for experienced operators to teach hands-on equipment operations this summer in Fairfield, ME. This will be one-on-one instruction in the woods, training the next generation of loggers. If you’re looking for a seasonal opportunity this summer, or recently retired, we offer competitive wages and benefits, including travel costs. MLOFT is looking for both buncher and processor operators and skilled crane and delimber operators. For details, please call or text Donald Burr at (207) 356-1541.

PLC 2024 Log A Load Golf Tournaments – Register And Sponsor Now

Team spots sell out quickly, so register now!

The PLC is excited to announce that it is time to register for the 2024 Log A Load for Kids Golf Tournaments! This year, the tournaments will be held Aug. 23 in Lovell, ME and Sept. 13 in Lincoln, ME. Register now and let’s help the kids and their families! Links for registration and sponsorship opportunities are below. See you at the tournaments!

Aug. 23, Kezar Lake Country Club, Lovell

Sept. 13, JATO Highlands Golf Course, Lincoln

If you prefer to register by mail, print and fill out the registration form on the pdfs below:

Southern Tournament Info and Registration Form-2024

Northern Tournament Info and Registration Form – 2024

Acadia Insurance – “Timber Talks”

***Location Change***

Members, Acadia Insurance will be holding two “Timber Talks” informational gatherings for those insured under the Acadia/PLC Safety Dividend program. Talks will be held from 3-5 p.m., Thursday July 11 in Lincoln, ME and from 9-11 a.m. Friday July 12 in St. Agatha.  All PLC members that have Acadia are encouraged to attend.  Registration instructions and additional information is available HERE.

Update on Maine’s New Paid Family Medical Leave Program

Members,

On May 20, the Maine Department of Labor published proposed rules for Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program. The PLC will be submitting comments on behalf of the membership on the proposed rules and will be in touch soon with talking points and a draft copy of our comments for you to review. 

Members can also submit comments in two other ways, in writing or in person. 

Written comments can be submitted online here. Comments can also be submitted in writing to the Paid Family and Medical Leave Program via mail sent to 50 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0050.  The public comment period for PFML rulemaking will end on July 8, 2024. Comments made by mail must have a postmark of July 8 or earlier.

For those who are unable to provide written comments, you can give testimonyin person on June 10, 2024 at 9 a.m. in the Maine Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Room, at 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta.

The Department will continue to update its Paid Family and Medical Leave website whenever new information is available: https://www.maine.gov/labor/pfml/

Informational Webinars

There will also be a couple of webinars taking place regarding Paid Family Medical Leave.  This would be a good opportunity to learn more about the new law and what your business will have to comply with once the rules of the program are finalized. Information on these webinars is included below.

1. Understanding Maine’s Proposed Paid Family and Medical Leave Program Rules – More info & register here.

When: June 6, 2024 at 1:00-2:00pm

Who: Verrill & Maine Street Solutions

Where: Zoom webinar

2. What Employers Need to Know – Maine’s New Paid Family Medical Leave Law – More info & register here.

When: June 18, 2024 at 12:00-1:00pm

Who: Eaton Peabody & Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce

Where: Zoom webinar

 

 

 

 

NH Biomass Markets In 2023, New Hampshire biomass plants used a little over 1 million green tons of wood fuel to make electricity; this is the lowest statewide volume since at least 1997.  Over 70 percent of this use was at a single facility – Burgess Biopower in Berlin, NH. This is a dramatic drop from just a few years ago – in 2019 over 2.9 million green tons of biomass were used statewide.  That’s a drop of nearly 1.9 million green tons, a little over 62,000 truckloads annually, or 170 truckloads daily.

 

White House Weighs in on Voluntary Carbon Markets 

Up until now, the Biden Administration has largely stayed away from trying to tinker with carbon markets. Recently the White House announced guidelines to strengthen themarket for voluntary carbon market offsets. Offsets allow companies or individuals to buy credits tied to emissions reductions created by projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere. Forest carbon offsets, created when a forest owner agrees to long-term changes in forest management to increase carbon sequestration and storage, are the majority offset category. The new federal guidelines are an attempt to define offsets that are “high-integrity,” meaning they can deliver real and quantifiable emissions reductions for projects that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Last year, $1.7 billion was spent in the voluntary carbon market globally.

Voluntary carbon offsets have come under significant criticism over the past few years because, at their best, carbon offsets allow companies that are trying to reduce their environmental impact to do it faster. At their worst, carbon offsets have been criticizedas the ultimate greenwashing tool. They can give companies that don’t want to abandon fossil fuels a way to claim they’re helping to curb emissions, when they aren’t actually reducing their emissions of greenhouse gases – only taking credit for the offsets they have purchased. Since the White House put out guidelines only – not holding the force of regulations – it is not clear if they will have an effect on the quality of the offsets created.

The Logger’s Voice – Spring 2024 Edition

Maine’s Direct Link Loan Program

Are you a Master Logger® in Maine who is buying new equipment? Take advantage of the Direct Link Loan Program and get an interest rate reduction of up to 2% on qualifying equipment. Details of the program and how you can take advantage of it are below:

1. A Master Logger signs an Agreement with the Maine Forest Service (MFS), the bank submits Agreement to MFS, and it is approved by the MFS for the purchase of a new or new to them piece of qualifying equipment. (Cut to Length Harvesters and Forwarders, Tracked Feller Bunchers, Stroke Delimbers, Mulching Machines, Road Graders; also includes retrofitting of existing equipment like Flotation tires, Bogey wheels, harvester and processor heads; and Miscellaneous purchases like Metal and Wooden Bridges, Bottomless arches, and sediment and erosion control products) Purchases are considered on a case by case basis, with eligibility based on whether the equipment facilitates the implementation of Best Management Practices.

**Equipment that is NOT eligible: Grapple Skidders, Pull-Thru Delimbers, Tree-to-Tree Feller Bunchers. 

2. The Master Logger gets a loan from a participating bank. (See list below) Example: Loan is for $500,000 at current bank interest rate (ex. 7.00%). Contractor can have multiple loans but can’t exceed the $800,000 aggregate limit allowed by the program.

3. The Master Logger is given an interest rate subsidy (reduction) of 1.50% (up to 2%) – the same amount as the *CD rate for as long as they continue to qualify for the program.

Example: 7.00% loan interest rate less 1.50% rate subsidy = 5.50 effective rate.

The following banks participate in the direct link loan program.

• Katahdin Trust Company – David Cambridge
• Farm Credit East – Shannon Webber
• Machias Savings Bank – Anita Madden
• Acadia FCU

**Note: Maine Municipal Bond Bank buys a $500,000 CD for up to five years from bank for up to 2.00% less than the bank’s going CD rate matching the term of the loan. Ex. 1.50 % – (up to 2%)

Don’t see your bank on the list? Reach out and encourage them to get involved.

Not yet Master Logger® Certified? Email Sydney at sydney@tcnef.org, call (207)-688-8195, opt. 2 or visit masterloggercertification.com.

 For more information, click here for the Direct Link Loan Program.

Workplace safety and labor law requirements can seem complex – join the Maine Department of Labor for no-cost upcoming trainings!

Upcoming classes:

Confined Space Rescue Planning – General Industry & Construction –

June 6, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

This six-hour classroom presentation will include a review of the rescue requirements found in 1910.146 Permit-required Confined Spaces in Section K, Rescue and Emergency services from 1926.1200, and Confined Spaces in Construction in Section 1211, Rescue. Planning for rescue includes identification and classification of spaces, hazard identification, elimination and control, training, and equipment. It also includes site/space-specific procedures (SOPs) and checklists as well as training and exercises. A review of the highlights of Chapter 10, Rescue in NFPA 350, a guide for safe confined-space entry, and of Chapter 5, Confined Space Rescue in NFPA 1670 will also be presented.

Establishing or Improving Your Safety and Health Committee –

June 11, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

This one-day class will assist in establishing or improving your safety committee. This class will give you the skills to put a dynamic committee together or strengthen the work of existing teams. It will provide models for hazard assessment, incident investigation, “near-miss” reporting, OSHA regulations, facility inspections and required training. It will help you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your program and give you a game plan for greater success. 

Wage & Hour Compliance –

June 12, 2024 I 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

This course is designed for human resource or benefits professionals, accountants, business owners, managers, or payroll supervisors. Labor laws can be complex. This seminar covers wage and hour laws, including minimum wage, overtime, youth employment, severance pay, equal pay, rest breaks, leave requirements (earned paid leave, family medical leave, family sick leave and leave for victims of violence). This class addresses commonly asked labor-related questions.

Van Safety –

June 13, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

This course emphasizes the issues and concerns related to passenger van operation and appropriate defensive driving techniques to reduce the potential for property damage, injury, or death. You will also learn about motor vehicle laws and resources for teaching traffic safety awareness.

Machine Guarding –

June 14, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

Participants in this half-day class will learn about the standards for metal and woodworking machines, as well as various machine-guarding techniques. We will apply basic guarding practices when specific issues aren’t covered in the regulation.  OSHA Subpart O will be covered. 

Safety & Health Management Systems –

June 20, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

Successful safety and health programs are more than just compliance with the OSHA standards. Injuries and illnesses are reduced when employers possess common elements to identify and address safety and health hazards. This course outlines roles and responsibilities, common principles, required functions and programs of a successful safety and health management system. This course prepares organizations who would like to pursue SHARP/SHAPE.

Developing & Conducting Assessments, Audits, and Inspections –

June 21, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

Identifying and analyzing hazards are key elements to an effective safety and health system. This training explores the methods to assess the workplace for hazards and implement controls to effectively control them. This half-day course looks at PPE assessment, behavioral and program audits, as well as equipment-specific and facility inspections.

 Register and browse more SafetyWorks! classes: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/training/scheduled_classes/register.shtml

SafetyWorks! is also a host site for the Region 1 OSHA Training Institute Education Center.  The next class will be:

 June 17, 2024   470 Electrical Safe Work Practices & Update to NFPA 70E

 June 18, 2024  7115 Lockout/Tagout

 June 25-28, 2024  2264 Permit Required Confined Space Rescue

To register go to https://oshaedne.com/osha-470/ or https://oshaedne.com/osha-7115/ or https://oshaedne.com/osha-2264/.

or call 800-449-6742.  Please note, these classes have a registration fee to attend.

 If you have questions about safety or upcoming classes, reach out to SafetyWorks! at 1-877-SAFE-345 or general.bls-safetyworks@maine.gov.

If you have questions about Wage and Hour compliance, please reach out to the Wage and Hour Division at 207-623-7900 or bls.mdol@maine.gov, or visit www.maine.gov/labor/bls/. 

PLC Crew First Aid Backpack

PLC First Aid Pack: In response to widespread interest from members, we have created a PLC First Aid Pack that has everything you need for emergencies in the woods. This Military Elite Tactical Trauma First Aid Backpack was designed for the PLC by Paul Stewart – EMT Houlton, ME. 

To order Click HERE

Now FREE to Maine Loggers! A $300 value!

LEARN MORE

Biomass Thermal Energy Council rising

Maine wood-fiber insulation company is expanding its distribution across North America

Brookfield is Maine’s hydropower king – Bangor Daily News

Logging truck rolls over in Cambridge, spilling its load in roadway – Kennebec Journal

Maine-made wood fiber insulation is reviving the old Madison paper mill – MSN

Twin Rivers pulp mill fined $250K for pollution – CTV News Atlantic

Madawaska-Edmunston bridge set to open in June | Local News (foxbangor.com)

Massachusetts loggers to state: ‘Real tough time’ with no contracts. Others want forests preserved.

There’s unprecedented funding for fire prevention this summer | Maine Public

Three Maine companies receive $1.6 million in federal grants from US Forest Service

Lumbra Hardwoods Inc. Regognized as Outstanding Sawmill by NELA

Acquisition, conservation makes ‘Greatwoods’ forest whole

Forever Wild: A Land Trust’s Work to Expand the Northeast’s Wildlands

Vermont Forest Industry Summit

NELA Honors Excellence in the Industry

VEDA unveils new forestry loan program | Vermont Business Magazine

Vermont Community Canopy Program Celebrates Milestone: | Morning Ag Clips

Wood Innovations and Community Wood Grants – Recipients 

Lawsuit seeks to stop two commercial logging projects in WMNF – NH Business Review

Forest protection group challenge commercial logging in White Mountains | News | eagletimes.com

Vermont schools eligible for advanced wood heating funds | State | reformer.com

PLC Members Only!

Equipment Cost Calculators Available

Members,

With expenses rising rapidly in the industry we know you are struggling to get a handle on your costs. This is a great time to utilize the cost calculators created in 2021 for PLC Members.

These new, easy to use, logging equipment and log trucking cost calculators are available on the PLC Members Only section of our web site You may access this private section of the web site with your member login or set up a login HERE.

These calculators allow you to quickly estimate the hourly cost of operation for any piece of your equipment.

DISCLAIMER: These calculators are being made available for your business use as a member benefit. They produce equipment estimates and are not official products of the PLC nor should they be used for negotiation purposes.

PLC Online Store

ALC Member Discounts

PLC Members, because the PLC is a member of the American Loggers Council YOU are entitled to special discounts! CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

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Fabian Oil Discount

Wallingford’s Discounts

Maine Trailer Discounts

PLC Members get a 5% discount on culverts purchased at Treeline and Frank Martin & Sons

Hale Trailer discounts for PLC Members on new trailer purchases! Call Neal at 207-232-7969 for details!

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Cross Arena Discounts for PLC! 

PLC Classified Section