PLC Member Weekly Update December 8, 2023
In this Issue
PLC Annual Meeting – Save the Date & Book your room!
Membership Renewal – Past Due!
PLC Christmas Ornaments to Support Log A Load 2023 – New Designs!
The Domestic Trade Grant Program – Applications Now Open!
Welcome New Supporting Member – 1 New!
The Northern Logger Podcast – Donald Burr Shares His Top Safety Tips
Federal Motor Carries Safety Administration – 10 ELDs Removed
Maine DACF Forestry Related Quarantine Rules Updated
Cost Calculators – Members Only
Cross Ins TPA – December SIG Training – The Manager-Employee Relationship
PLC Store – NEW Small First Aid Pack
Safety Resources – Safety First!
Maine – Latest News
Vermont – Latest News
Classified listings – Send us your listings!
Member Discounts – Many to choose from
Save The Date!
PLC Annual Meeting May 9-10, 2024
This year, the PLC Annual Meeting, Dinner, Awards Ceremony and Live Log A Load Auction will be held on May 9 – 10, 2024 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport! Please be sure to block the dates in your calendars.
We are planning for a fun social event on Thursday, so stay tuned for more updates.
Below is the reservation link for early booking information.
Reservation Booking Link:
Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast
Code: 051024plcm
Membership Renewal Past Due
Renew Now!
Thank you to all who have renewed already! If you have not already done so, please renew your membership in the PLC for 2024.
The PLC is your voice and advocate and is fighting for your business, your industry, and your future. We need your support to continue standing up for Northeast loggers during these challenging times.
We have also made the online renewal process easier than ever and we encourage you to take advantage of this option. To do so, click on the link below.
Renewals were due by Dec. 1. Don’t delay, renew now!
PLC Christmas Ornaments to Support Log A Load 2023 – New Designs!
Add some extra cheer to your tree with PLC’s very own Logging Christmas Ornaments, this year in new designs crafted by third-generation logger Derrick Hardy of PLC Member Herbert L. Hardy & Son, LLC (doing business as D and K Kreations)!
100% of the proceeds from the sale of these ornaments go to our Log-A-Load for Maine Kids fund-raising efforts to benefit Maine’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals: The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.
Don’t wait, PLC ornaments sell out every year, so make sure you order yours TODAY!
Price:
To order email office@plcloggers.org, call the office at 207-688-8195, or visit the PLC online store.
Applications Open For Funding Through Domestic Trade Grant Program
New state funding is available through The Domestic Trade Grant Program to help businesses increase their market reach and expand sales activities. This opportunity is open to Maine businesses in these sectors:
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- Agriculture – Food and Beverage
- Clean Energy
- Construction
- Fishing, Seafood, and Aquaculture
- Forestry and forest products
- Information Services
- Logistics, Transportation, and Warehousing
- Manufacturing
- Retail (includes wholesale)
The Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) is administering the program on behalf of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.
The grants range from $10,000 to $250,000, depending on the size of the business. All applicant businesses and non-profit and tribal organizations must be headquartered in Maine and have a Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number.
Eligible businesses can apply for direct financial support for activities that increase their capacity for sales, such as sales channel support (media campaigns, packaging design, etc.), trade shows, marketing assistance, and technical assistance.
There is an anticipated total of $6 million available, and two rounds of funding are planned. Applications for this first round of funding close on December 15 at 11:59 p.m. Funding for the program is available through Governor Mills’ Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan.
GPCOG will host webinars every Tuesday at 12 p.m. from Oct. 31 to Dec. 12 to give prospective applicants and partners the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Domestic Trade Grants Team.
Go to www.maine.gov/decd/domestic-trade/grants to apply or to learn more. If you have questions, call 207-387-2919 or email DomesticTrade@gpcog.org.
Welcome New Supporting Member!
Cass Insurance Inc. of Newport, VT joined the PLC as a new Supporting Member in November of 2023. Cass Insurance is a small agency that has been successfully writing coverage for clients in Vermont and New Hampshire for over 29 years. The majority of the agency’s clients are loggers and truckers. Cass Insurance understands how important loggers and truckers are to our everyday lives and that loggers and truckers don’t work typical 9 to 5 hours. The agency is available to assist clients by 7 a.m. most days and willing to meet with clients on weekends if needed. Clients know that when they call, the same agents will be picking up the phone and will be able provide them with the individualized attention they deserve. To learn more contact Nancy or Michelle at (862)-334-6944 or cassinsurance@myfairpoint.net
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
10 ELDs removed from the list of registered Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).
On December 1, 2023, FMCSA removed the following ELDs from the list of registered ELDs due to the providers’ failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A.
ELD Name | Model Number | ELD Identifier | ELD Provider |
CI ELD LOGS | CILGS | CRS270 | CV Options LLC |
ELD 2 GO | GOMAX | ERS200 | ELD 2 GO |
ELD4TRUCKING | ERS | ERS174 | ELD4TRUCKING LLC |
ELOG365 | ERS | ERS127 | EZ ELD Solutions Inc |
GOLDEN ELD | GRS | GRS199 | GOLDEN ELD |
POWERTRUCKS ELD | PRS | PRS211 | Miran Support LLC |
STEER RIGHT ELD | STRID | SRS273 | STEER RIGHT LLC |
TruckX-ELD | XELD | TRX927 | TruckX Inc |
TST 1 ELD | TRS | TRS220 | TST GROUP INC. |
WORLD TRUCKING ELD | WRS | WRS196 | WORLD TRUCKING LLC |
These ELDs now appear on FMCSA’s Revoked Devices list.
Motor carriers and drivers who use the ELDs listed above must take the following actions:
- Discontinue using the revoked ELDs and revert to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data.
- Replace the revoked ELDs with compliant ELDs from the Registered Devices list before January 30, 2024.
Maine DACF Forestry Related Quarantine Rules Updated
Maine DACF has recently updated rules that govern the movement of two introduced insects and a fungal disease, as well as the products that can carry each of them to new places. Quarantines can help slow the spread of introduced species. If you plan on moving ash, hemlock or larch trees or raw material from these species, such as logs, chips or firewood, become familiar with these rules. You can help slow the spread of these destructive organisms and limit their impacts on Maine’s forests and forest industry.
Let them know if you think you’ve found these and other forest pests in new areas, and feel free to reach out with your questions about these destructive organisms.
To veiw the full update click here or the button below.
Donald Burr Shares His Top Safety Tips
Winter is here, and with the cold, snow, and ice forming across the northern US, there is no better time to be reminded of the dangers of working in the woods and what to do to avoid accidents and injuries.
This month on the podcast, we talk to Donald Burr, safety and training coordinator for the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast. He is also the lead instructor and coordinator for the 20-week Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Programcourses, held in the central Maine region.
In addition, Donald Burr is the recipient of the NELA Award for Outstanding Contributions to Safety for 2022.
In this episode, he discusses the fundamentals of staying safe and healthy while working in the woods.
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.
CHECK IT OUT HERE
Safety Resources
Workplace safety and labor law requirements can seem complex – join the Maine Department of Labor for no-cost upcoming trainings!
Upcoming classes:
Developing and conducting Assessments, Audits, and Inspections –
December 13, 2023 | 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.
How to Conduct a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Assessment –
January 9, 2024 / 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM / SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
This half-day course is designed to assist you in developing a PPE assessment 1910.132(d). Employers must conduct a hazard assessment prior to requiring employees to use PPE. The assessment provides information needed to select the appropriate PPE for the hazards at the workplace. Learn how to conduct a hazard assessment in this hands-on class.
To view all January 2024 classes, visit their website at www.safetyworksmaine.gov
Register and browse more SafetyWorks! classes: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/training/scheduled_classes/register.shtml
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/.
New Small PLC Operator/Driver First Aid Pack!
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CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne Pathogens certification: Did you know your employees are required to have this training every two years? If your employees need this training in 2023, contact Jessica at Jessica@maineloggers.com or 207-688-8195 and the PLC will schedule training in your area. THIS TRAINING IS FREE TO MEMBERS!
Maine News
What is the history of the logging industry in Maine? – EnergyPortal.eu
Pollute less, profit more: How Maine industry is rewarded for cutting … – The Portland Press Herald
Woodland Pulp Union members end strike, accept new contract – News Center Maine
This year saw more prescribed fires than ever before | Maine Public
Net Zero | Wiscasset Newspaper
Senator Angus King asks federal government to consider mass timber in construction projects
Vermont News
Is private wilderness a good idea? | News, History, Features from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont
Aging forests faster | Vermont Public
Canary in a coal mine: Red spruce rebounds in Vermont | Outdoors | vtcng.com
A new bill in Congress is a gift to the logging industry – Environment America
$7.5 Million Available Through the Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program
Stowe Land Trust poised to protect 83 acres in regional wildlife corridor
Member Discounts
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
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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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