VANCOUVER, BC – West Fraser Timber announced that it will indefinitely curtail its sawmill in Lake Butler, Florida by the end of this month. Today’s decision is the result of high fiber costs and soft lumber markets. The indefinite curtailment of Lake Butler Sawmill will impact approximately 130 employees and reduce West Fraser’s U.S. lumber capacity by approximately 110 million board feet. West Fraser expects to mitigate the impact on affected employees by providing work opportunities at other company operations. High fiber costs at Lake Butler and the current low-price commodity environment have impaired the ability to profitably operate the mill. The indefinite curtailment of Lake Butler sawmill better aligns our U.S. lumber capacity with demand. West Fraser anticipates taking an impairment charge in the third quarter of 2024 associated with the announcement.
The European Union has been a world leader on climate change, passing groundbreaking legislation to reduce noxious 
The Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut last week has given prospective homebuyers something to celebrate: lower borrowing costs. …But while lower mortgage rates may translate to more buying power for homebuyers, America’s housing market woes aren’t likely to be solved solely by rate cuts. A shortage of homes for sale, combined with rising expenses like homeowners’ insurance and rent, have made the cost of both owning and renting a home in America increasingly unaffordable for many. …This shortage of homes has helped propel home prices to record highs. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median existing-home sales price was $416,700 in August, down slightly from the record high of $426,900 set in June. …There’s another reason: Many Americans bought homes in the years after the pandemic when rates were at historic lows. Many of those homeowners have been reluctant to sell and lose those cheap loans.
With the state facing an estimated $45.8 million in wildfire expenses so far this season, Idaho Gov. Brad Little and other state officials are discussing the need to replenish the fund before next year. During the last legislative session, the state pre-funded its emergency fire suppression fund at about $68 million, Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said Tuesday. Miller briefed Little and other state officials Tuesday during a meeting of the State Board of Land Examiners at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. So far this year, the state has spent an estimated $51.1 million, about $5.2 million of which is reimbursable costs, Miller said. That leaves the state on the hook for about $45.8 million so far. …The Idaho Legislature will decide whether to approve additional pre-funding for the emergency fire suppression fund once the 2025 legislative session convenes in January.
INDIANA — Managing public lands is a balancing act. There are laws, policies, executive orders, local economies, visitor needs, climate change predictions, effects to threatened and endangered species, the protection of cultural resources and sensitive natural areas, tribal consultation, public input, and the latest science to consider when making decisions. …First, it must be noted that our forests are not pristine, nor are they static. Habitat loss and degradation have resulted in major bird declines, including ruffed grouse, American woodcock and a variety of songbirds. We need to reestablish a diversity of forest habitats, from young to old, with a variety of plant species and structural complexity to meet the needs of native wildlife. …We also need to consider the mix of tree species the forest needs on the landscape in the future, as some species are predicted to be more successful than others given our changing climate.
CALIFORNIA — Construction is moving forward on a biomass plant in California that has been trying to get greenlit for the past decade. In addition to generating energy for Californians, the plant is intended to help reduce the risk of wildfires spreading. The new plant will receive wood and other plant materials from nearby forest restoration and maintenance projects in the Yuba River watershed. …Biomass is not necessarily the cleanest form of renewable energy. Cutting down trees just to turn them into biomass, for example, is not environmentally friendly. However, in California’s case, the biomass would come from plant materials removed to aid in wildfire prevention, making the entire process much less wasteful. …The plant, which will cost $30 million in total, is being funded in part by $7 million and an $8.3 million low-interest loan from the Yuba Water Agency.
GEORGIA — State regulators on the Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved a Georgia Power plan to source more energy from burning wood known as “biomass,” despite criticism from consumer advocates about its relatively hefty price tag. An independent evaluator found the trio of contracts for which the monopoly utility was seeking approval would cost customers two to three times more than other sources of energy. The biomass proposal had been opposed by environmental and consumer advocates, who said it would cost Georgia Power customers billions of extra dollars on top of already-approved rate hikes. …In hearings about the biomass proposal over the past few weeks, regulators acknowledged the high cost for Georgia Power customers, but said they were motivated by a desire to give an economic boost to rural parts of the state that rely on the timber industry. The vote Tuesday was 4-1 in favor.
