Region Archives: US East

From a furniture factory in suburban Grand Rapids to a paper mill in the Upper Peninsula to a one-employee sawmill operation in the heart of the mitten, Michigan’s forest products industry is growing. Michigan’s traditional forest products industry — sawmills, paper mills, furniture factories, logging and other wood products manufacturers — reached a combined value of nearly $22 billion in 2019, the most recent year for which statistics are available. “In 2012, the value of the forest products industry in Michigan was $17.5 billion, so this is a significant increase and is in line with goals set for the industry,” said Jagdish Poudel, forest economist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and author of the study. The information in the study can help shape and grow Michigan’s forest-related industries into the future. …Each direct job in forest products industries supported 1.14 additional jobs, the study shows. Direct employment was pegged at 42,011 jobs.

Kate Forrer

The Vermont Woodlands Association recently welcomed Kate Forrer as the group’s new executive director. Kate joins the VWA after working in forestry outreach & education at the University of Vermont Extension. Through her work at UVM Extension, Kate partnered with VWA in the past on many projects that served Vermont’s forests. …Kate takes over the VWA from Kathleen Wanner who faithfully led the group from its beginning. …Kate looks forward to bringing her own experience and passion for forestry to the group and joining it with the many VWA members who are just as dedicated and passionate about Vermont woodlands. 

Harold Burkhart

Harold Burkhart, University Distinguished Professor and dedicated researcher, teacher, and mentor in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, died on Thursday, Oct. 20, in Blacksburg. Burkhart, a professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, was recognized in 2019 for 50 years of service to Virginia Tech. He had been a member of the faculty since 1969. The university recognized Burkhart with the preeminent rank of University Distinguished Professor in 1999 for his meritorious contributions that have shaped forest modeling from the late 20th century to the current day. “Harold Burkhart was a pillar of modern-day forestry, bringing quantitative sciences, mathematics, statistics, and exceptional experimental design and analysis insight and execution to tree growth and yield,” said Paul Winistorfer, dean of the college. “He was a living legend in forest biometrics and was known worldwide. 

Tony Vuksich, center

Tony Vuksich has been named the 2022 Bronson J. Lewis honoree. Vuksich was presented with the award at the APA Annual Meeting in Aventura, Florida. The meeting took place Oct. 15-18, 2022. The award is named in honor of the late Bronson Lewis, who served for 24 years as secretary and then executive vice president of APA – The Engineered Wood Association. The award recognizes individuals for their leadership and outstanding contributions to the engineered wood industry. Vuksich has been serving the engineered wood industry for 50 years. He began his life-long career with Willamette Valley Company in 1972 in sales. He went on to become a branch manager in 1976, a regional manager in 1980, vice president of the northwest in 1996 and global wood vice president in 2010. He also supported the establishment of Willamette Valley Company facilities in Chile and the Netherlands.

The Georgia town of Jesup is home to the world’s largest producer of a highly refined wood pulp used in cigarette filters and LCD screens. The Rayonier Advanced Materials pulp mill is Wayne County’s largest industrial employer. But the mill has also been known since the 1950s as a polluter of the Altamaha River, into which it discharges some 50-to-60 million gallons a day of effluent. …Local environmentalists are seeking to block the renewal of the plant’s discharge permit, which is up for its periodic review by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The Southern Environmental Law Center submitted a report to the EPD on behalf of the Altamaha Riverkeeper arguing it would be illegal for the agency to grant Rayonier the draft discharge permit put forward for public comment last month. …A Rayonier spokesperson, said that the SELC’s “characterization is patently false.”

MENOMINEE, Michigan — Officials have determined that air monitoring and sampling can be reduced after the warehouse fire in Menominee, Michigan earlier this month. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will scale down the number of air monitoring stations surrounding the fire site. The EPA had been collecting measurements for air pollutants at 30 locations surrounding the fire. Monitoring and sampling will continue for “volatile organic compounds.” The EPA says the reduction indicates that the threat to air impact from the fire continues to diminish. [END]

MENOMINEE, Michigan – Representatives for Resolute Forest Products provided an update Monday about the Menominee fire’s effects on employees and production. …Spokesperson Seth Kursman said, “It appears the separate core pulp manufacturing area has not been significantly impacted.” While efforts continue at the Menominee site to suppress remaining smoldering hot spots and cleanup efforts begin, Kursman said the facility is idled and production is not expected to resume in October. He said the company will continue, however, to pay employees at this time. The Menominee mill employs approximately 100 workers and has an annual production capacity of 171,000 metric tons of pulp on one machine, according to its economic profile. Resolute has property and business interruption insurance for the facility, and is working with insurers regarding the lost inventory and business disruption resulting from the fire.

MENOMINEE, Michigan — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has provided updates regarding the paper pulp mill and warehouse fire in Menominee, Michigan. Measurements for air pollutants are being conducted at 30 locations surrounding the fire, including residences, schools, medical facilities and commercial properties. The EPA has collected 12 outdoor air samples for analysis for volatile organic compounds (VOC), as well as 62 surface water samples from Menominee River and Lake Michigan for analysis for VOCs, semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC), metals, herbicides and PFAS. Air monitoring and sampling continues. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and local public health agencies are reviewing EPA data for health risks.

The Irving sawmill in Ashland produces around 500,000 board feet of lumber every day. It could increase that output to nearly 600,000 board feet, human resource manager Doug Cyr said, if not for staffing shortages. “We’re actually about 15 to 20 short, to run the entire operation at full capacity,” Cyr said. …Paul Towle, president and CEO of the Aroostook Partnership, an economic development group said part of that is due to population decline — a trend that long predates the pandemic. …To address the shrinking workforce in The County, a group of business and education leaders is pursuing a plan to attract families to the area. And more specifically, refugee families. …The challenge, though, will be to find those families. …And getting people to move to northern Maine is one thing. Giving them a reason to stay is another.

MENOMINEE, Michigan — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for a fire at a paper pulp mill and neighboring warehouse in Menominee. Whitmer’s office says the declaration makes available state resources needed to continue to fight the fire and make sure runoff from firefighting efforts does not threaten water supplies. “We will be there to assist until the emergency response is completed,” Whitmer said in a news release. “The governor’s declaration will be immensely helpful because without this assistance the City of Menominee would not be able to sustain the financial burden from this catastrophic event,” city manager Brett Botbyl said. The fire at Resolute Forest Products began the night of Oct. 6. Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the active fire was continuing to subside. Meanwhile, crews were preparing to deal with firefighting water and fire-related debris.

MENOMINEE, Michigan — A spokesman for Resolute Forest Products says the warehouse and offices at the paper mill in Menominee are a total loss after last week’s fire that continues to burn. Seth Kursman, vice president of communications and public affairs, tells Action 2 News the machinery in the mill was spared from significant damage. There’s no timetable to operations at the plant to resume, but Kursman says they’re suspended at least through the month of October. He added, “Resolute will continue to pay its employees despite the plant being closed.” Michigan’s governor declared a state of emergency for Menominee County through Nov. 9 to help with the fire at the Resolute Forest Products plant. …The assistant fire chief from Marinette says the fire then swept east through two other companies’ warehouses and swept through again. Officials say the fire is “contained” but portions of the warehouse near the plant continue to burn.

A federal appeals court has affirmed a ruling that blocked a Maine law restricting Canadian logging truck driver operations in Maine. The law, passed by the legislature last year, would have forbidden companies and large forest land owners from hiring non-U.S. residents to drive wood products from one location in Maine to another. The legislation was intended to restrict foreign workers, under the federal H-2A visa program, from transporting Maine forest products within the state. Democratic Sen. Troy Jackson argued that the use of foreign labor is an “injustice” that is harming Maine workers. But representatives of the forest products industry sued the state over the law, saying it violates the constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. A district court judge granted a preliminary injunction against the law earlier this year. And an appeals court agreed this week, saying that the law’s restrictions are “likely preempted by federal law.”

NEW YORK — Tide detergent maker Procter & Gamble Co faces a challenge to its Chief Executive Jon Moeller as its chairman of the board from environmental groups at its annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, with some investors planning to vote against him in that role. Environmental non-profits including Friends of the Earth and NRDC urged shareholders to vote against Moeller as chairman and oppose two other board directors because they say P&G has taken “insufficient action” to deal with the risks related to deforestation in its supply chain. The groups have long targeted P&G for its reliance on virgin wood pulp to make paper products such as Charmin and Bounty. …P&G said that it will aim to end buying pulp… from certain forests in Canada and will develop a plan to reduce purchases of the raw material from other swaths of woodland.

MENOMINEE, Michigan — Crews from several fire departments were battling a large fire Friday at a paper mill in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that began hours earlier in a warehouse, authorities said. A spokesman for Resolute Forest Products said the fire, which was producing a dense cloud of smoke, began about 11 p.m. Thursday in a warehouse that contained pulp and waste paper. No injuries were reported. But the blaze was so large crews from five fire departments were called to the scene, the Stephenson Fire Department said. The fire began a warehouse that Montreal-based Resolute Forest Products rents from KK Integrated Logistics . …“Local fire departments have been on-site all night, and the fire is under control, although smoke is still billowing due to smoldering in the warehouse,” he said.

Additional coverage in WBAY.com: No one hurt in fire at Menominee paper mill

Mark Coscio

BETHESDA, Md. – Enviva Inc. announced that it has appointed Mark Coscio as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. Coscio will be responsible for leading Enviva’s corporate development and construction functions. “Given the continuing structural shortage in wood pellet supply in our industry, where long-term demand continues to outstrip supply, there has never been a better time to be in this business,” said John Keppler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. …”Mark Coscio is a seasoned construction and development executive with nearly two decades of experience leading large scale, multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment programs. His substantial experience and leadership add tremendous strength and depth to our internal capabilities as we execute our ambitious strategic plan to double our production capacity by adding six new plants over the next five years,” concluded Keppler.

ATLANTA–WestRock Company announced it will permanently close the corrugated medium manufacturing operations at its St. Paul, Minnesota, recycled paper mill. The production of coated recycled board at this location will remain in operation. WestRock is committed to improving its return on invested capital as well as maximizing the performance of its assets, and the corrugated medium machinery at the St. Paul location would require significant capital investment to maintain and improve going forward. The shutdown of these assets will result in the reduction of 200,000 tons of annual corrugated medium production. “Shutting down operations and impacting the lives of our employees is a difficult decision to make,” said David B. Sewell, chief executive officer at WestRock. “…we are incredibly appreciative for the many contributions this team has made. We plan to assist these team members in exploring roles at other WestRock locations and with outplacement services.”