Member Weekly Update – March 28, 2025

PLC Spring Safety Trainings Underway! Register Now!

If you prefer to register on paper, click the button below to download a registration form! If you have questions, please email office@plcloggers.org or call (207) 688-8195!

PLC 2025 Awards – Nominate by April 4!

Do you know a person or business involved in the logging industry who ought to be recognized for service to the community, outstanding professionalism or service to the industry? If you do, please NOMINATE THEM for one of the PLC’s annual awards.

🏆PLC Community Service Award – This PLC Community Service Award is given annually to a PLC member, Supporting Member or affiliated organization that has demonstrated a significant commitment to giving back to their community.

🏆PLC Logging Contractor of the Year Award – The PLC Logging Contractor of the Year award recognizes a PLC Logging Contractor for their commitment to the sustainability of the industry and logging as a profession. We will select 1 award for Maine and 1 award from Vermont.

🏆PLC Supporting Member of the Year Award – The PLC Supporting Member of the Year Award is presented annually to a PLC Supporting Member who has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to logging contractors in the Northeast.

Nominations should be received no later than April 4, 2025

Awards will be presented at the PLC Annual Meeting on May 9 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, ME

A list of previous winners is available HERE

PLC 30th Anniversary Annual Meeting May 8-9 – Register and Book Rooms Now!

Event Highlights:
Dates: Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9
📍Location: The Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine
🪵Thursday North Haven Island Outing: Shuckin’ Fun: Timber, Tides, and Ferry Rides
🪵Friday Morning: PLC Membership Meeting
🪵Friday Afternoon: Dan Burns Live Chainsaw Carving & Beer Tent
🪵Friday Night: Log A Load Auction with Maine Cabin Masters cast

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Join us for the PLC’s biggest event of the year! Register and book rooms through the links below! See you there!

PLC discount rate Samoset only May 8-9 starting at $179 while rooms last! **If you only plan to stay 1 night, be sure to adjust the dates accordingly***

If you need a place to stay on May 7 we have a room block at the Hampton by Hilton of Rockland. Reserve by calling the hotel directly at 207-594-6644 and referencing PLC Member block. or use the direct booking link provided below. Accommodations will be available until midnight on April 21, 2025.

Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo May 16-17, Bangor ME

The Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo (Loggers’ Expo) will return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine, May 16-17. The annual forestry equipment expo, organized by the Northeastern Logger’s Association (NELA), alternates between Bangor, Maine, and Essex Junction, Vermont, each year.  

This year’s lineup features over 150 exhibiting companies—from firewood processors and portable sawmills to large forestry equipment dealers that showcase the latest CAT, John Deere, Komatsu, Tigercat models, and more. There will also be exhibitors from a variety of lumber mills and specialty parts and accessories companies.  Learn more by clicking the button below!

PLC’s Northeast Logger Gathering at the Expo May 16, RSVP Link Going out Soon!

Mud Season: Blanket Work Search Waiver began Sunday, March 23

Mud season is now upon us, and that means many of you are facing the annual challenges of temporarily laying off employees or being laid off yourself.

Effective March 23, 2025, workers impacted will be granted a work search waiver approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Bureau Director of Unemployment Compensation for 5 weeks (Week ending April 26, 2025). The weeks covered by the waiver are determined by environmental impact such as the water tables and DOT road postings. Prior to the end of the waiver period, we will assess the road conditions and take appropriate actions. 

The most important steps for logging contractors and employees to follow in order to apply for Unemployment Benefits:

File an unemployment claim by phone or online. DO NOT enter a return to work date when applying. 

Call to File: The employee contacts the Bureau at 1-800-593-7660 selects option 2 between 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday. The department is manually putting in a “Director Approved Waiver” for impacted loggers.

Note: Mondays are busiest at the unemployment office and tend to slow down each day following. Currently, the average wait times for phone calls are below 3 minutes, so please be patient and a representative will help you.

File Online: online self-service, click HERE. There are zero wait times, and this option is available 7 days a week. Select “Create ReEmployME Account” if you do not already have an account created from prior years, or “Claimant Login” if you have filed through the ReEmployME system sometime within the last three years. Then select the “Unemployment Claim” tab at the top of your screen and go to “File Unemployment Claim.” Follow the prompts on the screen to file a new claim or reopen an existing claim. The department is manually putting in a “Director Approved Waiver” for impacted loggers.

Any questions may be directed to the Bureau at 1-800-593-7660.

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@plcloggers.org, call (207)-688-8195, opt. 2 or visit masterloggercertification.com.

Paid Family and Medical Leave Deadline approaching!

If you haven’t already, you must register on the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Portal.

It is the online system for employers to file quarterly wage reports and remit quarterly premium contributions. If you have a payroll company, they can request access to your account to file for you after you register. The portal also allows self-employed individuals and tribal governments to elect coverage.

Any employer with at least one Maine-based employee must have begun payroll withholdings January 1, 2025:

• Employers with 15 or more employees contribute 1 percent of wages and may deduct up to half of the contribution from the employees’ wages.
• Employers with less than 15 employees contribute 0.5 percent of wages and may deduct the entire amount from the employees’ wages.

Employers will begin their first quarterly wage reporting and premium payments April 1, 2025. They are due by April 30, 2025.

Access the portal here

If you have questions, call the PFML call center at (207) 621-5024 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

PFML staff are calling unregistered employers to remind them of the registration requirement and offer assistance – the calls will come from the above call center number, and no personal information will be asked for.

Paid Family & Medical Leave Program updates FAQ on Private Plans

The Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program has updated their frequently asked questions (FAQ) document clarifying questions regarding private plans. Please see questions 35, 45, 46, 47 and 48 for additional information. 

The FAQ can be found under the Department’s webpage on paid family and medical leave under the frequently asked questions tab.  

Twelve Insurance Policies Certified for PFML Private Plan Substitutions

AUGUSTA – The Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program has announced the certification of 12 PFML-approved insurance policies that can be used by employers in applying for fully insured-private plan substitutions.

Under the PFML law, an employer may apply to obtain a substitution that demonstrates a paid family and medical leave insurance policy offers the rights, protections and benefits that are substantially equivalent to those provided to employees under the law. The Maine Department of Labor (DOL) adopted minimum criteria through the rulemaking process to determine plans that are substantially equivalent to the PFML law. To read more, click the link below.

Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Private Plan Substitution Process Presentation Available

A recording and the PowerPoint presentation of the webinar regarding the private plan substitution process has been posted to Department’s webpage. The materials can be found under both the educational webinars tab and under the employer resources tab.  View the presentation by clicking the button below.

News from the Water Quality Assistance Program: Temporary Steel Skidder Bridge Cost-Share Program Announcement

Applications for the next round of the Temporary Steel Skidder Bridge Cost-Share Program will be available by the end of March, 2025. This round is for Ten 25’ Temporary Steel Skidder Bridges. The amount of the cost-share payable by the Grantee is $3,149.00. This program will be very similar to the program from 2025. Keep an eye on your email inbox for the application, or feel free to contact Dave Wilcox at 802-793-0265, or david.wilcox@vermont.gov.

You’re Invited: Spring Climate Action input sessions

You are invited to weigh in on the draft plan at input sessions around the state. Choose from virtual or in-person events with diverse engagement activities focused on the priority actions. Find full details and registration info below!

2024 Storm Relief Increased Vehicle Gross Weight Limits expire March 28, 2025

The increased weight limit allowances which were put into effect in response to the storm relief operations on July 11 th , 2024 will expire at 11:59 pm on
March 28, 2025. Any further questions, please contact Captain Gene Cote, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit at 802-828-2064.

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Weekly Report

Vermont News Clips

📌 THE NORTHEASTERN FOREST PRODUCTS EQUIPMENT EXPO RETURNS TO BANGOR, MAINE
📌 Final Reading: A US-Canada trade war could pose an existential threat to Vermont’s forest economy
📌 Albrecht Discusses Challenges Facing Timber Industry Before National Audience
📌 Sugarhouses open doors for annual Maple Open House Weekend – WPTZ
📌 U.S. Forest Service to conduct prescribed burns in Green Mountain National Forest in April and May
📌 FSC US News & Views – March 2025
📌 March 2025 Logger News Online
📌 Vermont officials worry major transportation projects could lose federal funding 
📌 Vermont Woodlands Association announces annual Vermont Woodlands Conference

PLC FREE and easy CDL Training May 27-29th!

On May 27-29, the PLC will offer Members its 4th FREE CDL training class for their employees. Save the date and watch your email for full details soon!

Upcoming Classes.

Wage & Hour Compliance – 
April 2, 2025 l 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Rockland Career Center, 91 Camden Street, Suite 201, Rockland
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.

Mine Safety & Health Administration: Refresher
April 3, 2025 l 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sanford Adult Education, 668 Main Street, Sanford
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requires all surface mining (i.e., stone crushing, gravel pit, etc.) employees to receive an eight-hour annual training. This one-day course will cover generic MSHA training. However, site-specific training will also need to be conducted once you return to your respective job sites.

Mine Safety & Health Administration: New Miner
April 7, 2025 l 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
This course covers eight hours of classroom training under Part 46 training requirements per the Mine Safety and Health Administration for all new miners. This is only a portion of the new miner training requirements. The balance of this training must be completed by the employer.

Automotive Lift & Jack Stands Safety & Compliance – 
April 8, 2025 l 8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
This half-day course provides training on the proper operation of multiple types of automotive lifts, jacks and jack stands, inspection, compliance reporting, training, and documentation required by various inspecting agencies. The course will provide the information needed for a safer workplace, which helps eliminate citations and can possibly lower a company’s workers’ compensation insurance expense. The course will have classroom and hands-on training.Improving Your Safety Training Program – 
April 9, 2025 l 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
An effective safety training program will lead to positive effects on safety knowledge and the adoption of safe work practices and behaviors. This one-day training assists safety professionals and safety committees, learn how to analyze their audience, update on new training techniques, and develop top notch training programs.

New Small PLC Operator/Driver First Aid Pack!

In response to demand for a smaller/”must have in an emergency” first aid pack to be stored in a machine or pickup, the PLC has created a new Operator/Driver First Aid Pack.

• Contains “must have in an emergency” bleeding control items 
• One pack is recommended per machine/truck 
• Detachable velcro panel ideal for mounting in a machine or truck
• Meets OSHA requirements for a logging first aid kit
• Supplements PLC’s larger first aid back pack but is not a replacement

More information on the pack and its contents is available HERE. 

Purchase

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. 

Purchase

Now Free to Maine Loggers! A $300 value!

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

Looking for great PLC items and apparel? Gifts? First Aid packs, safety items and more?

You will find them at the new PLC Online Store on our web site. Ordering is easy.

Shop Here

Member Discounts

ALC Member Discounts

PLC Members, because the PLC is a member of the American Loggers Council YOU are entitled to special discounts!

Fabian Oil Discount

Wallingford’s Discounts

Dirigo Waste Oil

10% Discount on new furnaces. Contact Justin at 207-873-0881

Maine Trailer Discounts

Maine Trailer Discounts

Treeline Discounts

Click Here Discount Pricing on Skidder Bridges and Crane Mats

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

Hale Trailer Discounts

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

Preferred Supporting Members

Enhanced Supporting Members