Maine Logger who had a Voice at the State House

I recently had the opportunity to finally make my voice heard about a subject that any one who knows me, knows I am extremely passionate about. For years I have watched the “Roads Posted” signs go up earlier and earlier. It frustrates me to no end because it makes so many additional obstacles for trying to get wood to the mill. Trees on the ground at the job site have zero value to the landowner or logging contractor until they cross the scale at the mill. In the Spring when the ground starts to soften, we get out of the woods if it is not high, dry ground anyway. Environmental factors are always our biggest handicap for delivering product to the mill. We don’t want to be stuck in mud and cause excessive damage to the woodlot. When these Roads Posted signs go up, they impede my ability to get wood that I can still get out of the woods to the mill. My logic is that if I can run my loaded pulp truck across a corn field and I don’t sink, those roads should definitely be able to handle my weight. Trust me, I could go on for days about the matter. I could talk about how many axels we have and therefore the weight is distributed better than a town sand truck, or about the nineteen million exemptions that don’t include logging trucks and dump trucks. If they can allow so many exemptions then is it really a problem for my truck to pass a couple times a day too? There are work arounds to the posted roads but they are not always a sure bet and cumbersome to say the least. There is too much revenue to be lost to be at the mercy of a road commissioner daily.

The bill that was before the committee recommended to put a 6 week cap on how long the roads could be posted, remove current language in the law that says there can’t be any standing water in the cracks of the road and replace it with an objective temperature threshold that we can make the decision to truck our product, and it intended to remove restrictions for trucks going to and from their headquarters .

In my testimony I also made a suggestion about a rebate program for taxes my company pays to the towns for roads that I can’t even use. If I can’t use their roads for 10 weeks then I’d like to be reimbursed 10 weeks of taxes paid.

Standing in front of that committee in a room full of people and a microphone was certainly a step way outside of my box. I have to tell you though, the committee members were supportive and appeared very pleased with a regular Joe standing up there in Carhartts and a Kimball Logging shirt making a case for his small business. It was very empowering to demonstrate my right to be heard. I owe a lot to the Professional Logging Counsel of Maine for encouraging me to make my voice heard.