PULP AND PAPERWORKERS' RESOURCE COUNCIL WORKERS VISIT CAPITOL HILL TO DISCUSS POLICIES IMPACTING MANUFACTURING JOBS, LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 95 American workers employed in the U.S. forest products industry descended on Washington, D.C., this week and made more than 535 visits with Members of Congress and Administration officials. Their goal was to educate elected officials on the impacts of legislative and regulatory decisions on the environment and on the families and communities that depend on forest products manufacturing for their livelihood.

The Pulp and Paperworkers' Resource Council (PPRC), a grassroots organization of hourly employees in the forest products industry, are passionate about educating Members of Congress and Administration officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Office of Management and Budget, and other government agencies on issues affecting nearly one million American manufacturing jobs in their industry. They represent 53 mills across 18 states.

"Our annual Washington, D.C., fly-in provides the PPRC with an impactful opportunity to visit with Congressional and Administration leaders on environmental issues impacting our industry – especially on topics like renewable biomass energy and its carbon neutrality, paper recycling, air and water regulations and their impact on permitting, as well as forest management," said PPRC Chairman Matt Hall. "We believe in the importance of sustainable regulation that meets economic and environmental needs and social expectations, avoids unintended harm, and provides pathways for the paper and wood products industry to be an American success story."

The PPRC specifically discussed several issues with members of Congress, including:

Air Permitting: The PPRC asks the EPA to revise the recent Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards (PM NAAQS) rule, as it is so stringent that it leaves little room for permit approval, even in attainment areas. This affects 78% of modernization projects that reduce emissions per production ton, hindering innovation, competitiveness, and impacting manufacturing jobs and rural communities. As the U.S. has among the best air quality in the world, these rules are rushed and fraught with scientific uncertainties.

Renewable Biomass: The PPRC calls on Congress, the EPA, the Treasury Department, and other agencies to provide regulatory certainty for the carbon neutrality of bioenergy from U.S. paper and wood mills, which are the largest producers of carbon-neutral bioenergy. We request inclusion of carbon neutrality provisions in the upcoming Farm Bill and recognition in policies such as clean electricity tax credits.

Forest Management: The PPRC supports legislation like the Fix Our Forest Act, H.R. 471, to enhance forest management, increasing resilience against fires and disasters, and supporting carbon sequestration, family-wage jobs, and local businesses. Forests sequester carbon, and this is where our industry finds our renewable natural resources.

Recycling: The PPRC recommends a targeted approach to recycling, emphasizing paper's high recovery rates. The PPRC opposes policies that redefine recycling to include fuel production processes and supports acts like the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act, to improve EPA recycling metrics. According to the EPA, by weight, more paper is recovered for recycling from municipal solid waste streams than metals, plastics and glass combined. Our industry recycles nearly 60% more paper today than it did in 1990. In 2023, our industry's recycling rate was 65-69% for paper and 71-76% for cardboard, respectively.

Endangered Species Act: The PPRC supports Endangered Species Act (ESA) reform to ensure regulations are based on sound science and consider economic impacts. The PPRC believes the ESA is about recovery of a species, not only about preventing extinction, therefore the act should be amended to ensure that the species will not be listed until a recovery plan is developed and appropriations are approved.

Beneficial Use of Paper Mill Residuals: The PPRC asks the EPA to recognize and support the safe and beneficial use of mill residuals, largely composed of tree fiber, as a fertilizer. These mill residuals can be used for agricultural or forest lands, providing reduced soil erosion, less need for irrigation, increased soil nutrient-holding capacity and reduced soil compaction, all of which significantly improve plant growth. The paper and wood products industry no longer uses long-chain PFAS, and residuals show minimal detection levels. PFOA and PFOS are widespread in the environment, and detection limits are extremely low, so they sometimes can be detected in residuals, albeit lower than the background levels found in common house dust. 

Water Quality: The PPRC recommends that revisions to the Navigable Waters Protection Rule/Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) Rule retain effective wastewater treatment exclusions to avoid placing unsustainable requirements on our mills. Pulp and paper mills have significantly improved water quality, reducing Total Suspended Solids, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, and Adsorbable Organic Halogens levels by substantial percentages from 2000 to 2020.

PPRC members also thanked the Members of Congress who have joined the Paper and Packaging Caucus, and those Members who attended the Caucus Congressional Reception on February 4.

The PPRC is a grassroots labor organization led by hourly employees advocating for the U.S. forest products industry. We support policies that encourage economic growth, an abundant and sustainable fiber supply and sensible science-based environmental policies. The U.S. forest products industry is vitally important to our nation's economy, employing approximately 925,000 people. We rank among the top 10 manufacturers in 43 states and represent 5% of total U.S. manufacturing GDP. We are people dedicated to conserving the environment while taking into account the economic stability of the workforce and surrounding community.   

PULP & PAPERWORKERS' RESOURCE COUNCIL
Representing members of: USW, IAM, IBEW, AWPPW, IUOE, CPU, and Forest Products Industry Workers.  For more information and to see the PPRC Position Summary papers from 2025, please visit www.thepprc.org.

SOURCE The Pulp & Paperworkers' Resource Council (PPRC)