PLC Logger's Voice Winter 2019
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From the arrival of the<br />
emerald ash borer in Maine to the<br />
onset of devastating fires in<br />
California, 2018 has been a year<br />
of challenges for American<br />
forests. Unfortunately, these<br />
issues don’t show signs of<br />
magically disappearing as we<br />
usher in a new year.<br />
But I do see reasons for<br />
hope in <strong>2019</strong>. For one, I think the<br />
Rep. Chellie Pingree new Congress set to begin in<br />
January will be well positioned<br />
to address the challenges facing the forest industry. And I<br />
intend to advocate for those priorities by supporting<br />
strong funding for relevant programs, encouraging<br />
research, and ensuring the industry can capitalize on new<br />
opportunities.<br />
Once again, I am honored to represent the State<br />
of Maine as one of our two elected members of the House<br />
of Representatives, and am thankful for the opportunity to<br />
serve our state once again. In particular, I look forward<br />
to working in a bipartisan way on several issues of<br />
importance back home in Maine and for foresters and<br />
loggers in particular.<br />
I will continue to serve on the House<br />
Appropriations Committee. With my six years of<br />
experience on the committee, I am ready to take<br />
advantage of the opportunities the new Congress will<br />
offer to strengthen funding research and agencies that<br />
impact our Maine woods. These include the Economic<br />
Development Administration, U.S. Forest Service and<br />
Department of Interior.<br />
I am also eager for Congress to dig into some key<br />
issues more fully. We must place more attention on how<br />
extreme weather events like windstorms in Maine,<br />
droughts throughout New England, wildfires in the West,<br />
or category 5 hurricanes along our coasts are affecting<br />
our forests nationwide. And I am committed to working<br />
with my colleagues from other states with forested land to<br />
address the impacts of invasive species—the emerald ash<br />
borer in particular.<br />
Also, as a proud member of the Working Forests<br />
Caucus, I am eager to work with my colleagues on new<br />
forest opportunities in the upcoming session. Working to<br />
get the Timber Innovation Act over the finish line either<br />
in 2018, or in the new session, will be a priority for me.<br />
Please reach out to my office at any time to make<br />
your voice heard with issues that you would like to see us<br />
address in Congress. I am eager to hear from you and<br />
hopefully see you out and about in<br />
Maine.<br />
A recount of votes cast in the race for the House of<br />
Representatives seat in Maine’s second congressional<br />
district had not been completed when the deadline for<br />
content of The Logger’s <strong>Voice</strong> <strong>Winter</strong> <strong>2019</strong> edition expired,<br />
therefore there is no column in this issue for the seat. Since<br />
then, the recount has been suspended, however legal<br />
challenges have been filed in connection with the election<br />
and remain unresolved. The <strong>PLC</strong> looks forward to hearing<br />
from the second congressional district’s Representative in<br />
the Spring <strong>2019</strong> issue.<br />
The Logger’s <strong>Voice</strong> ▪ <strong>Winter</strong> <strong>2019</strong> 37