Low timber prices stifle plans to boost logging
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PORTLAND — Bush administration plans to boost logging in Northwest national forests have collided with low timber prices blamed on the housing slump.
The U.S. Forest Service is running short of money to draw up new timber sales.
Government and industry officials say lumber prices are as low as they have been for years, down by about half from the peak in 2004.
Thus the Forest Service earns far less for timber, meaning less money for future logging projects.
“We didn’t know this was going to happen,” said Peggy Kain of the Forest Services regional office in Portland. “The market hasn’t been this bad in a very long time.”
Some mills are cutting back production.
“It’s probably as bad as its ever been, maybe worse,” said Kevin Binam, of the Western Wood Products Association… [more]