Hurricane Relief Call Center

The Secretary of Commerce established a Hurricane Relief Call Center as a resource for members of the U.S. business community desiring to contribute to the relief effort or who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina and need assistance.

The call center number is 1-888-4USA-DOC and it is staffed seven days a week from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET.

Special Hurricane Katrina Issue of Voice of Forestry

2005 October Voice of Forestry - Volume 10

Forest One Provides Aerial Imagery to MS Forestry Association

Forest One Damage Assessment

Forest One Windspeed Map

Forest One Aerial Imagery

Forest One graciously provided MFA with the following images of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.
For more information, please contact:

Clark Love
CEO
Forest One, Inc.
16 Northtown Drive, Ste. 202
Jackson, MS 39211
O: 601-991-1847
F: 601-510-9246
M: 601-594-0479
www.ForestOne.com

How to Prevent Forest Fires in Areas Affected by Hurricanes

This article deals with Hurricane Ivan affected areas but is quite useful.

When Hurricane Ivan hit Alabama last fall, it damaged an estimated 11.8 million acres of forestland across the state. While a lot of the damage has been salvaged, many landowners still have stands with trees that are blown down or have tops broken out.

As the dead trees and tops dry out, they create increased wildfire hazards. These heavy fuels could cause even a small forest fire to intensify to dangerous levels.

To read entire article: How to Prevent Forest Fires in Areas Affected by Hurricanes

How to Grow Beetle Bait - Revisited

Over the last 30-some odd years, the Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) has worked with landowners in controlling Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) infestations and has tried to encourage
landowners to take the easy way by preventing the conditions needed to feed the beetle. All pine forest management plans that are produced by AFC foresters include SPB hazard ratings and information on how to prevent attack by beetles.

The best way is, of course, when the stand is established to plant fewer pine trees per acre. No more than 500 trees per acre should be planted; 450 would be even better.

To read the entire article: How to Grow Beetle Bait - Revisited

Katrina Effects on Lush Forests

Devastation is widespread since Katrina roared through. Broad swaths of longleaf pines, which grow so tall and straight they're often used for utility poles, lie uprooted, snapped in half or bent.
In the days to come, hundreds of thousands of Southern pine trees will be hauled to small-town mills to be turned into lumber, plywood and, if badly damaged or small, pulp for making paper. In the days after that, Southern businesses and homeowners will take those products — 2-by-4s, plywood sheets and wood for decking — and begin to restore the storm-battered gulf.

The Mississippi Forestry Commission says Katrina caused $2.4 billion of tree damage, more than half in commercial timber spread across 1.3 million acres. In the worst-hit areas, the coastal counties, almost half the timber may be damaged.

The destruction is a serious loss for one of the nation's poorest states. Forests cover more than 60% of Mississippi's land, and converting trees into wood and paper products provides jobs and tax revenue. Much of the land is owned by individuals in parcels of 100 acres or so.
Now the race is on to salvage as much as possible because a timber ailment known as blue-stain fungus, which thrives in the South's hot, humid climate, attacks downed trees. Timber with the fungus loses value and eventually becomes worthless. In Mississippi, so much timber is down that local forestry experts expect much of it to go to waste because there won't be enough loggers or mills to harvest it.

"There's a short period of time that we can get out there and salvage this," says Don Grimm, president of Hood Industries, a family-owned company in Hattiesburg, Miss., that employs 1,200 workers at four sawmills in Mississippi and Louisiana. Its Wiggins, Miss., plant lost its roof to the storm and isn't expected to reopen for at least a month.

Forestry consultant Joe Pettigrew says landowners like Brooke will be lucky to get a quarter of what their timber was worth before Katrina struck. "It's a grim situation," he says.

For now, Scott Twillmann, a market timber analyst at Forest2Market in Charlotte, says the South's power outages — which have hampered even undamaged mills — debris-covered roads and a shortage of loggers and equipment will hinder the salvage operations.

The odd part is, blue-stain fungus does not damage the timber's structural integrity — only its market appeal. Tom Harris, publisher of the Timber Mart-South price-reporting service, and a professor of forest resources at the University of Georgia, says builders shun the blue-tinged lumber. If the gulf region's overwhelming need for fresh lumber now erases that stigma, it will be a first.

"Once the blue stain gets in there, it significantly decreases the value of the timber. Eventually it becomes worthless," Twillmann says.

Harris predicts that the glut of fallen timber will benefit mill owners at the timber ranchers' expense, depressing the raw materials' price. At the retail level, he says, the effect is "almost reverse. Huge demand for lumber and plywood will drive up (retail) prices."

Two market leaders, Georgia-Pacific, a big mill company, and Home Depot, the retailer, both have pledged publicly to temporarily freeze lumber prices in the gulf at pre-storm levels.
One option: Chopping it all down

No doubt, the South's timber ranchers and mills will be at the forefront of the rebuilding effort.

Beyond the needs in much of Mississippi, the National Association of Home Builders estimates that "a large share" of New Orleans' 200,000 homes, about 60 miles to the west, were damaged beyond repair. It will all begin with timber, and then lumber.

Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama produce 6.5 billion square feet of wood panels a year, representing 22% of U.S. production, says the APA-Engineered Wood Association, a trade group whose members manufacture plywood, oriented strand board and other engineered wood products.

There will be huge rebuilding needs, all along the Gulf Coast. That is good news for the saw mills as they resume production. But the devastation to the forests will make a lasting dent on local ranchers, loggers and millworkers.

Grimm, Hood Industries' president, worries some mills may close eventually because so many trees were wiped out. "We can rebuild a mill pretty quickly. But you can't quickly rebuild a forest," he says. "Independent loggers are going to stay significantly busy in the short term, but eight months from now, when you get past this storm damage, is sufficient industry going to exist to support them?" Grimm asks.

That's a question many share. Pine trees planted now will take 30 years or more to mature. A lifetime of work to rebuild.

Full Article

Earthen Dams Notice

Owners of earthen dams should perform a visual inspection of their dams to identify damages that may have resulted from the heavy rainfall and high winds associated with Hurricane Katrina. Specific findings that should be immediately reported to MDEQ would include:

1. Significant erosion and loss of turf on the downstream face of the dam indicating that the dam may have been overtopped during the storm.

2. Uprooted or winddamaged trees located on the slopes of the dam or within 200 feet of the downstream toe of the embankment.

3. Soft saturated areas or presence of water flowing out of the embankment, particularly in the lower third of the downstream face of the dam.

4. Any other circumstance or condition that the owner believes may pose a threat to the integrity of the embankment.

Report problems or direct questions to Gaylan McGregor at (601) 961-5642 or Mike Meadows at (601) 961-5272.

MDEQ: Wet Decking Permit Changes

MDEQ understands the tremendous damage to the forestry industry in our state as a result of Hurricane Katrina. We also recognize that it is vitally important to salvage as much of our fallen timber as possible. We are therefore streamlining our permitting efforts in order to facilitate
the permitting of new wet decking sites in our state. MDEQ is committed to giving high priority to these permitting efforts. Below you will find information that should be helpful in the permitting of these sites:

Permit Application Process:
1. Any applicant for a new wet decking facility should contact MDEQ at the earliest possible date prior to the submittal of an application.

2. Construction activities disturbing 5 acres or more will require coverage under a Large Construction Storm Water General Permit. Coverage under this general permit can be granted upon receipt of a Large Construction NOI (Notice of Intent). Upon receipt of this NOI the applicant should be able to receive coverage within 48 hours. This large construction general
permit coverage must be obtained prior to beginning construction activities. Construction
activities disturbing equal to or greater than 1 acre but less than 5 acres must comply with the requirements of the Small Construction Storm Water General Permit.

3. An application for a State Operating No-Discharge Permit should be submitted to the attention of Harry Wilson with the Environmental Permits Division of MDEQ. Upon receipt
of a complete application it is anticipated that a permit will be issued within 48 hours. The applicant may commence operations upon receipt of this permit. If you have questions regarding the State Operating No-Discharge Permit or the permitting process, you may contact the MDEQ Hurricane Katrina Disaster Recovery Staff at (601)961-5281, (601)961-5554, (601)961-5307, (601)961-5724, or contact Harry Wilson at (601)961-5190.

4. Any withdrawal of groundwater from a well with a surface casing 6 inches or greater in
diameter or the diversion from most surface water bodies will require a permit. An emergency
temporary permit may be granted if the applicant does not have the time to go through the normal permitting process that typically takes about 3 weeks. An application for water withdrawal or diversion can be downloaded at: http://10.192.40/MDEQ.nsf/pdf/L&W_Application/$File?APPLICATION.pdf?OpenElement.


The contact person for water withdrawal/diversion permitting questions is Ms. Lisa May-McKenzie at (601)961-5202.

Permitting Issues:
1. Siting Requirement: The recirculation pond should be at least 150 feet from the nearest adjacent property line.

2. Applicants should provide for denied access or other security measures around the recirculation pond.

3. The recirculation pond should be constructed in a manner to minimize percolation.

4. The State Operating No-Discharge Permit is for runoff from the log spray recirculation system only. There should not be any other sources of wastewater discharged to the pond.

5. The recirculation pond shall be operated in a manner to maintain a minimum
of two feet of freeboard.


http://www.deq.state.ms.us/

Tips for Landowners Attempting to Salvage Hurricane Damaged Timber

Tips for Landowners Attempting to Salvage Hurricane Damaged Timber

by Dr. Bill Stuart and Dr. Laurie Grace, Mississippi State University

Hurricane Katrina’s impact on the forests of south Mississippi was catastrophic. The challenge for land owners, loggers and consuming mills is to salvage as much of the volume and value from those forests as possible. This process is not going to be easy, and raises special problems for those buying the timber and conducting the necessary operations. Landowners can expedite the process by doing some preparatory work. The items listed here are just a few suggestions to make the process flow easier and be less stressful.

Read More

Hurricane Katrina And Private Forest Ownerships

Hurricane Katrina And Private Forest Ownerships

Dr. Bill Stuart, Dr. Laurie Grace, Dr. Ian Munn, and Mr. Jeff Smith, Department of Forestry

The trees and forests of the area impacted by Katrina, like the people and communities, have all been affected by the storm. Some effects were catastrophic, with large areas of broken or uprooted timber. Other areas suffered minimal damage, wind stress, broken limbs and lost foliage. The catastrophic loss is immediately evident; the more subtle effects may take months or years to manifest themselves in reduced tree growth, increased susceptibility to insect and disease attack, and splits and shake that ultimately reduce the value of the tree for solid wood products.

Read More

Weyerhaeuser Company Purchase Points and Contacts

Weyerhaeuser Company will be purchasing Pine Logs and CNS. Please click the link below to view the Excel file.

Purchase Points and Contacts

Louisiana Forestry Association Updates on Hurricane Rita

There are no estimates yet on damage to forests in the path of Hurricane Rita but hope to have a flyover mid-week and ground reports. Damage is also expected in east Texas and Gov. Rick Perry has already issued the motor carrier waiver that would pertain to log trucks working salvage. The following explains the new order:

Waiver for Motor Carriers
Gov. Rick Perry issued a letter outlining a waiver for commercial motor carriers invovled in the disaster relief recovery efforts of Hurricane Rita. The governor directs Texas DOT to suspend all oversize/overweight permitting requirements and fees for motor carriers involved in relief efforts with the exception of exceeding posted weight limits on bridges. Carriers with loads over 14 feet are required to contact Texas DOT Motor Carrier Division at 512-465-3592 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours call 512-658-1149.
Gov. Perry also directs DPS to suspend all size and weight enforcement for mator carriers in relief efforts.

All Motor Carrier registration, single state registration, the International registration plan, International fuel tax agreement and requirements regarding the purchase of trip permits for registration and fuel for commercial carriers are suspended for motor carriers traveling within or into Texas to assist with relief efforts.

Hours of service limitations are temporarily suspended and carriers not involved in recovery efforts that were caught in traffic are exceused from hours of service overages noted in their logbooks.

Insurance, CDL and safety requirements are not suspended. Motor carriers traveling into or within Texas must have liability insurance at limits required by Texas or their home state.
The waiver is in effect through Oct. 31, 2005, unless extended or repealed.

MS Urban Forest Council - Aid for Community Trees

For more information for storm recovery for in- town trees. www.msurbanforest.com.

The Urban Council will mail free Storm Recovery- Trees tool kits for community trees by making a request with addresses to dyowell@aol.com

Updated Burn Bans from the MS Forestry Commission

Counties Currently Enforcing a Burn Ban: Adams, Amite, Carroll (to be lifted), Clarke, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Montgomery (to be lifted), Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Quitman (to be lifted), Rankin, Simpson, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, and Winston (certified burned manager exempted)

Updated Burn Map

Conservation Reserve Program Changes For Katrina

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has just announced that Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants may be allowed to remove trees that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina without penalty. Mississippi FSA offices will work with CRP participants and the Mississippi Forestry Commission to determine the amount of salvage appropriate for each area.

There will also be some assistance available to re-establish CRP cover. Some existing contracts may be eligible for re-enrollment or extensions. The notification of re-enrollment and extension opportunities is scheduled to be made later this year.

CRP participants that have trees damaged or destroyed due to Hurricane Katrina that do not want to continue with the CRP contract may be allowed to terminate the CRP-1 without refunds or liquidated damages.

The effective date of the termination would be September 30, 2005, and the CRP participants would be eligible for the annual rental payment scheduled to be made in October 2005 provided the payment is otherwise eligible to be made. Termination of CRP contracts will preclude any re-enrollment or extension opportunity.

CRP participants need to contact their local Farm Service Agency office for details.

Forestry Commission Providing Forestry Help to Landowners

The Mississippi Forestry Commission is providing information to landowners and homeowners who have trees damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Commission foresters also meet with landowners to guide them with tree damage evaluation and salvage options.

“The Mississippi Forestry Commission provides technical assistance to Mississippi’s private nonindustrial forest landowners,” said interim State Forester Everard Baker. “Our goal is to meet the forestry needs of the private landowners who have timber damaged by this devastating storm.”

Information available from the Forestry Commission includes: how to find a logger, finding a professional forester, timber salvage concerns, evaluating tree damage, casualty loss tax information, replanting cutover areas, and several key websites for related information.

Tree care information for homeowners who have storm-damaged yard trees is also available from the Forestry Commission.

Individuals seeking timber damage and/or tree care information can visit the commission’s website at www.mfc.state.ms.us.

Washington Wants to Know About Recovery

A Mississippi Forestry Recovery Team will brief members of Congress, Congressional staff, and agency officals in a special series of meetings in Washington, DC on September 21-23. The Team includes Dr. George Hopper, Dean of the College of Forest Resources at MSU and Director of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center; Everard Baker, Acting State Forester; Cecil Johnson, Executive Director of the MS Loggers Association; Eric Clark, Secretary of State and State Lands Commissioner for the 16th section school trust lands; and Bruce Alt, Executive Vice President of MFA.

They will also meet with USDA Forest Service officials, US Senate and House staff, and others who can be of great assistance to Mississippi and our forestry community in the months and years ahead. This unified coalition will answer as many questions as possible about forest recovery efforts, direct the staff to expert resources, and present them with a list of public policy recommendations designed to benefit Mississippi’s entire forestry community.

Governor Barbour Proposes Emergency Business Loans

Gov. Haley Barbour has proposed a small business emergency bridge loan program to provide temporary working capital for small businesses in Hurricane Katrina-affected counties. The short-term loan, modeled after a similar program in Florida, would bridge the gap between the time the storm hit and a businesses' receipt of other financial assistance.

The no-interest loans would range from $1,000-$25,000 under terms for periods of 90-180 days based on individual circumstances. Eligible businesses would have between two and 100 employees, and would have been in business at least one year prior to the hurricane. The loan must be used for items directly related to the physical impact of Katrina.

Barbour said he would ask the Mississippi Legislature to consider the small business loan proposal as part of a comprehensive program designed to help Mississippi recover when lawmakers meet for a special session September 27.

In conjunction with Barbour's proposal, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is establishing Business Assistance Centers in the affected areas to assist local economic development organizations and businesses. The centers will consist of representatives from MDA, U.S. Small Business Development Administration and various state and local government agencies.

Initial USDA Forest Service Hurricane Katrina Damage Estimates

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service have found that approximately 19 billion board feet of timber spread over five million acres in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have been destroyed as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

"While this early assessment suggests a potential significant loss of timber, the next step will be to determine what is salvageable," said Forest Service chief Dale Bosworth. "Recovering the useable timber will help to diminish the economic loss as well as to prevent damage from insects and disease and to reduce the risk of fires."

If removed quickly, storm-damaged wood can be salvageable for various products. According to Forest Service researchers, down and damaged trees can be sufficient to produce 800,000 single-family homes and 25 million tons of paper and paperboard.

The initial assessment indicates that the damaged timber is on both public and private land. However, the majority of the affected forestland is under private ownership, with one-third of the damaged timber concentrated in eight South Mississippi counties. Nearly 90% of affected forestland is within 60 miles of the Gulf Coast, predominantly in Mississippi.

Nearly 60% of the damage occurred to softwoods, predominately pines, with the remainder occurring to hardwoods.

How to Evaluate and Manage Storm-Damaged Forest Areas

By Patrick J. Barry, Entomologist, Coleman Doggett, Senior Staff Forester, Robert L. Anderson, Director, and Kenneth M. Swain, Sr., Deputy Director

Hurricanes, tornadoes, and ice storms strike somewhere in the South almost every year. They cause extensive forest damage by uprooting, wounding, bending, and breaking trees. Standing water, which often accompanies hurricanes, can cause additional stress and mortality. When one of these natural disasters occurs, it is important to have a plan for managing damaged timber.

Development of a storm damage management plan involves several systematic steps. As soon as possible, the area should be sketch mapped or aerial photographed. The next step is to ground check the damage to determine the need for salvage. Priorities for salvage will depend on location, amount and type of damage, and management objectives. This guide presents methods for managing storm-damaged trees to reduce growth loss, product degrade, and mortality. In the process, other factors such as threatened and endangered species must be considered. The information presented here will assist in setting priorities.

For the rest of the article, please read How to Evaluate and Manage Storm-Damaged Forest Areas

Risk of Pine Beetle After Katrina

Questions keep arising concerning bark beetles following Katrina. Looking at history there has not been an outbreak of bark beetles following such events. It takes time for the bark beetles to respond to so much stressed and downed material. It is true that Ips will respond and be in the downed material as will many of the ambrosia beetles. The southern pine beetle doesn't utilize the wind thrown material. Of concern is increased susceptibility that depends on how stressed the trees are that are still standing. Recent history has indicated that two and three years after the event we have seen an increase in bark beetle activity, i.e. the southern pine beetle and Ips attacking standing trees. In particular are the trees with broken crowns or a few limbs missing. Also trees that are leaning and have suffered root trauma tend to be more susceptible in subsequent years.

This is a brief description of the situation.

Stands that have extremely low basal areas and well spaced are generally less desirable for the SPB. Even if beetles do attack a tree here and there spot growth is not of concern because of the residual stand configuration - trees hopefully well spaced, i.e. greater than 20 feet.

At present SPB in the state is at a very low level. There have been reports of more SPB activity in the Alabama counties bordering Mississippi and one should continue to look for signs of increased activity.

T. Evan Nebeker
Dept. of Entomology and Plant Pathology
Box 9775
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 39762
662-325-2984 (W) 662-325-8837 (FAX)

Hard-hit Timber Industry Turns Toward Salvage

With up to three year's worth of harvest timber destroyed or damaged, the odds of salvaging much volume or value are slim, and the clock is ticking.
Bob Daniels, forestry specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said preliminary estimates indicate Hurricane Katrina damaged $1.3 billion worth of timber on 1.2 million acres.

The Mississippi Forestry Commission estimated that the storm destroyed 24.2 million cords of timber. In the last five years, Mississippi harvested an average of 12 million cords annually, so about two year's harvest volume was destroyed. MFC also estimated an additional $1.1 billion of urban and community tree damage in the state.

"Aerial reviews of the coastal counties show about 60 percent of the forest is on the ground. Damage decreases as Katrina moved north to about 10 percent of the forests down in the counties along Interstate 20," Daniels said. "About 65 percent of the forests are on private, nonindustrial land. Typically, industries will be the most organized and aggressive in salvage efforts."

Laurie Grace, MSU forestry professor, said salvage efforts are important, but even in a best-case scenario, the percentage of recovery will be small. "Following Hurricane Hugo, about 35 percent of the volume was recovered, but only 10 percent of the value," Grace said.
Among the odds against recovery, Grace cited the sheer volume of timber on the ground, reduced quality of the wood, damaged mills and other mills already with large supplies, the expense of harvesting, and the increased danger from harvesting damaged trees.

"Everyone realizes that getting salvage efforts under way as soon as possible will reduce timber losses, but many people have to work on other storm damage issues first, like repairing their homes," Grace said. "One of the biggest issues in the salvage efforts will be safety. Standing damaged timber can fall at any time without warning, and downed timber is going to increase the risk of forest fires.”

Additionally, fuel expenses and availability are compounding the problem. Grace said log trucks typically get five miles to the gallon on interstate highways. That average decreases to one mile per gallon on rough logging roads.

"We have about a six- to nine-month window of opportunity to salvage most of the timber," Grace said. "Some species can stay fresh longer, and some markets will tolerate more degrade. Fall and winter weather may be a factor, but storm-damaged timber is perishable."
Another option the industry is considering is wet decking or water storage of the timber to extend the usable life of the wood. Researchers with MSU's Forest and Wildlife Research Center have been studying the potential of long-term timber storage. Their studies suggest that water storage prolongs storage time up to one year with little change in the wood value or properties.

Rubin Shmulsky, MSU associate professor of forest products, said water storage has been used in situations such as catastrophic storm damage. "Landowners need to bring felled trees to timber yards as soon as possible to minimize drying, staining, decay and termites," Shmulsky said. "Sufficient amounts of water sprayed over the logs will exclude oxygen from the wood and retard or prevent decay organisms from attacking and digesting the wood."

Shmulsky said pine logs can be stored up to six months under water spray with no adverse effects. From six to 12 months, pine logs may experience some evidence of higher moisture content and permeability. Some value will be lost if stored from 12 to 36 months under water spray, but certain allowances can be made during processing. Other species, including hardwoods, can be placed in water storage, but the value of the lumber degrades faster than with pines. Anyone who wishes to keep up-to-date on timber recovery information and activities can monitor the Mississippi Forest Recovery Task Force Message Board at Katrina Forest Recovery Message Board.

Georgia-Pacific to Restart 2 Mississippi Plants

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Georgia-Pacific Corp. announced it plans to restart its idled Gloster plywood and Roxie, Miss., sawmill production facilities. The company expects to hire approximately 500 workers and the state estimates that more than 1,000 indirect jobs will be created with suppliers including transportation companies. The facilities are expected to be operational by the end of the year.

"Georgia-Pacific has been a valued corporate citizen of Mississippi for years," Governor Haley Barbour said. "Mississippi is grateful for Georgia-Pacific's continued support, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina."

"I am proud of the response we are seeing from our private and corporate citizens, as well as people and organizations from around the world. It assures us that Mississippi will be rebuilt bigger and better than ever," Governor Barbour continued.

“This has been an incredibly trying time for Mississippi and neighboring states. At Georgia-Pacific, we’re truly thankful to be in a position to assist the people of Mississippi by creating jobs and at the same time, providing much-needed materials to rebuild homes and businesses in the aftermath of Katrina,” said A.D. “Pete” Correll, chairman and chief executive officer of Georgia-Pacific. “As a long-time citizen of Mississippi, we’re delighted to restart these facilities and in some way help revitalize the state.”

The company is working with state forestry officials as well as private landowners to salvage timber damaged by the storm and use it in forest products manufacturing in the region. The facilities being restarted initially will rely on salvaged timber to meet their needs for logs.

Georgia-Pacific has been working with relief agencies such as The American Red Cross and The Salvation Army to assist in wide-spread Katrina relief efforts. The company has committed more than $2.5 million of in-kind donations of paper towels, bath tissue and disposable tableware. In addition, Georgia-Pacific employees have donated more than $171,000 to date, which will be fully matched by the company.

Georgia-Pacific built the Gloster plywood plant in 1967 and acquired the Roxie lumber mill in 1973. The Gloster facility produces plywood, with a production capacity of 285 million square feet of panels each year, while the Roxie facility produces 100 million board feet of lumber. The Gloster site will employ nearly 350 people and the Roxie site will employ more than 100 people.

“Mississippi remains a great place to do business with a motivated workforce, low cost of doing business and state and local governments that are actively seeking development,” stated Leland Speed, executive director of Mississippi Development Authority. “Our efforts to assist existing companies and attract new ones to the state are undiminished.”

For more information, visit MDA’s website at http://www.mississippi.org/.

About Georgia-Pacific
In Mississippi, Georgia-Pacific employs approximately 3,500 people at 20 facilities including: two plywood facilities at Taylorsville and Louisville, five lumber facilities at Bay Springs, Columbia, New Augusta, Taylorsville and Tylertown, three particleboard facilities at Louisville, Eupora and Taylorsville, one thermally-fused melamine facility at Oxford, one oriented strand board facility at Grenada, one containerboard facility at Monticello, three chip mills at Columbus, Louisville and Taylorsville, two chemical facilities at Louisville and Taylorsville and one corrugated graphic packaging facility at Pelahatchie.

Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of tissue, packaging, paper, building products and related chemicals. With 2004 annual sales of approximately $20 billion, the company employs 55,000 people at more than 300 locations in North America and Europe. Its familiar consumer tissue brands include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, Sparkle®, Soft 'n Gentle®, Mardi Gras®, So-Dri® and Vanity Fair®, as well as the Dixie® brand of disposable cups, plates and cutlery. Georgia-Pacific’s building products manufacturing business has long been among the nation’s leading supplier of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers. For more information, visit www.gp.com.

Wood Supply Systems Group

As an effort designed to run in conjunction with the toll free number for loggers (1-866-706-8869), a searchable website for loggers, landowners, industry markets, etc., to provide information about their availability for conducting salvage/clean up operations as well as needs for operations/contractors has been set up.

The site is designed to try to connect those offering service and those needing service.

http://www.wssg.cfr.msstate.edu/

EPA Extends Katrina-Related Fuel Waivers for Some States

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, on Sept 13 EPA provided flexibility to fuel production and distribution in the Gulf Coast and nationwide by issuing waivers for diesel fuel sulfur requirements and summer gasoline volatility controls.

Because of a continuing tight market for highway diesel fuel in some parts of the country, EPA exercised its authority under the Clean Air Act to issue a second, temporary waiver of highway diesel fuel sulfur requirements through October 5, 2005 for states that continue to be affected by disruptions to the fuel production and distribution system caused by Hurricane Katrina.

This action will allow diesel fuel normally used in off-road equipment to be used in highway vehicles in those impacted states.

The states affected by the second waiver of highway diesel requirements are: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and the District of Columbia.

In addition, EPA waived the federal enforceability of the summer grade gasoline required under state law in California, Eastern Texas, and Phoenix, AZ.

On August 31, EPA waived the federal requirement for summer grade gasoline nationwide. Under normal circumstances that requirement ends in all parts of the country on September 15, except for the three areas mentioned above which, under state laws, extend the requirement until Sept. 30 (Phoenix), Oct. 1 (Texas) and Oct. 31 (California). The three states have requested that EPA waive federal enforceability of these requirements.

The use of diesel fuel that meets the 500 ppm sulfur standard is very important in meeting environmental and operational requirements for diesel engines, and the gasoline volatility standards are important measures in the effort to control of ozone air pollution. As a consequence, EPA carefully balanced the need to provide flexibility to the fuel industry with the need to provide environmental protection in the affected areas. EPA has not exercised this authority absent a showing of a connection to Katrina-related problems.
EPA and DOE continue to work with state and local governments to assess fuel needs and address concerns as they arise.

At this time, EPA has found that waiving the diesel requirements for highway use in other states was not necessary because those states continue to have an adequate supply of diesel fuel. In these states, EPA is prepared to take action if there are real demonstrated shortages of fuel. EPA will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with state and local governments to evaluate changing circumstances.

More information is available on fuel waivers online at: http://www.epa.gov/katrina/waivers.html .

Forestry Commission Reports $2.4 Billion of Tree Damage & Burn Bans in 31 Counties

Forestry Commission Reports $2.4 Billion of Tree Damage

Mississippi Fire History from 1999-2005

The following 31 counties have a ban against outdoor burning:

Adams, Amite, Carroll, Clarke, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene,
Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar,
Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pearl
River, Perry, Pike, Quitman, Rankin, Simpson, Stone, Walthall, Wayne,
and Winston.

Two New Articles About Hurricane Damaged Trees

Shade Tree Casualty Loss Article
by Deborah A. Gaddis, Ph.D. and Stephen G. Dicke, Ph.D.
Department of Forestry, Mississippi State University


Timber Casualty Loss Article
by Deborah A. Gaddis, Ph.D. and Stephen G. Dicke, Ph.D.
Mississippi State University Extension Forestry

Mississippi Forest Recovery Task Force Timber Damage from Katrina

Pine Pulpwood - $204,000,000
10,164,000 Cords

Hardwood Pulpwood - $92,000,000
4,425,000 Cords

Pine Sawtimber - $755,000,000
2,157,000 MBF

Hardwood Sawtimber - $234,000,000
1,052,000 MBF

Total damaged volume in cords, pulpwood and sawtimber: 24,211,773 cords

Total damaged volume in cubic feet, pulpwood and sawtimber: 3,099,106,948 cubic feet (3.1 billion cubic feet)

TOTAL TIMBER DAMAGE $1,285,000,000 (estimated)

HURRICANE KATRINA COMPARED WITH HURRICANE IVAN IN ALABAMA - 2004

----20+ million tons of forest products from Ivan
•MS Katrina estimates approximately 60 million tons

----Total timber value damaged $610,000,000 from Ivan
•MS Katrina equals approximately $1.3 billion

----12 counties with timber damage from Ivan
•MS Katrina reported 38 counties with damage

----AL salvaged approximately 25% after Ivan
•MS Katrina salvage efforts begun and ongoing

You may request a detailed damage assessment in an Excel spreadsheet from Wayne Tucker, MIFI, P.O. Box 6350, MS State, MS 39762-6350Phone: 662.325.5498, Fax: 662.325.5500E-mail: tucker@mifi.state.ms.us

Taxes and Hurricane Damage

Harry L. Haney, Jr., Ph.D.
Garland Gray Emeritus Professor of Forestry
Department of Forestry, Virginia Tech

Tax Implications of Hurricane Damage

Toll Free Number for Professional Loggers

Dr. Laura Grace with Mississippi State University has set up a toll free phone number that professional loggers may call if they are interested in working on the Timber Recovery efforts that will be taking place in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The number is:1-866-706-8869

Contractors will be asked to complete a brief survey. Their information will then be placed in a database based on availability, equipment, insurance, training, etc.

MDEQ ISSUES EMERGENCY ORDER

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued an Emergency Order Tuesday that provides direction to local governments and industry as they begin the cleanup and restoration of areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The Emergency Order addresses issues related to Wastewater Treatment Systems, Air Pollution, Solid Waste Management, Hazardous Waste Management, Asbestos, Underground Storage Tanks, and the extension of permit deadlines.

The solid waste provisions include allowing owners and operators of permitted landfills to make necessary repairs without prior notice or authorization from MDEQ and guidance on the disposal of uncontaminated vegetative debris, building materials, household garbage and putrescible waste, household hazardous waste, animal carcasses, white goods, and ash residue.

The order also addresses wastewater treatment systems and waives effluent monitoring requirements for 30 days, allows the discharge of water from tanks that were emptied of their previous contents, and allows owners and operators of wastewater plants to make repairs without prior notice to MDEQ. However, MDEQ must be notified in writing within 30 days of the repair work.

The order establishes criteria for the operation of temporary air emissions sources and emergency generators. It also allows for minor repairs to restore equipment to its previously permitted condition without prior notice to MDEQ; however, MDEQ must be notified within 30 days of commencing the repair. Requirements for continuous and/or routine monitoring are waived for 30 days.

A 90 day extension for all hazardous waste generators affected by the hurricane for storage of their hazardous waste is granted.

For more information on environmental issues or to report environmental emergencies, please call 601/961-5171. A copy of the order is available at: www.deq.state.ms.us.

Legal Assistance Due to Katrina

If you need legal assistance due to Hurricane Katrina, please contact the Mississippi Bar Hurricane Katrina Disaster Legal Assistance Hotline at

1-866-255-4495 in Mississippi

Alabama: 1-800-354-6154
Louisiana: 1-800-310-7029

Mississippi Bar Association

American Bar Association Katrina Relief

Forestry Commission: Burn Bans in 22 Counties

According to the Forestry Commission, as of September 9, 2005, the following counties have a ban on open outdoor burning: Clarke, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Monroe, Pearl River, Perry, Rankin, Simpson, Stone, Walthall and Wayne.

“The wildfire threat to life and property is real,” said interim State Forester Everard Baker. “The broken and uprooted trees, limbs, and other vegetative debris found in areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina is 10 to 20 times the normal amount found in south Mississippi woodlands.” According to Baker, this buildup of debris will make wildfires burn more intensely and fire control more difficult.

http://www.mfc.state.ms.us/pdf/maps/mfcburnban.pdf

Hurricane Damaged Timber Overview

by Dr. Bill Stuart, Dr. Laurie Grace, and Mr. Lance Stewart
Department of Forestry, Mississippi State University


There is a lot of timber on the ground and damaged but still standing as a result of Hurricane Katrina. This timber represents wealth, jobs, and the future for Mississippians. Our first challenge is getting people, lives, and communities back together, but concern over salvaging as much of the wealth and promise this timber represents will soon come about.

Everyone recognizes that getting the salvage underway as quickly as possible will reduce the amount of the loss. Damaged timber is dangerous; dangerous to leave standing, dangerous to cut, and dangerous even after it is on the ground. Salvage operations are hard on people, equipment, the environment, tempers, and communities. But the salvage must go forward quickly and smoothly to preserve the value of the timber and prepare the land for the next forest.

We need to make certain that the salvage activities do not cause additional loss of life, livelihood, and wellbeing. We have about a six month window to complete the salvage for most species and most markets. Some species can stay fresh longer, and some markets tolerate more degrade, but that will depend on the fall and winter weather.

We are all in this together, the landowners, the loggers, and the consuming mills. Business cooperation among these three financial stakeholders will ensure Mississippi’s recovery and build a better future for all of us.

Hurricane Katrina Damaged Timber Overview – click here

TEMPORARY ORDER OF AUTHORITY

In cooperation with the States of Florida, Alabama and Louisiana for disaster relief, to aid in the alleviation of economic problems, assist with clearing areas for public safety and health concerns, and the timely removal of debris for the aforementioned jurisdictions and the State of Mississippi, transporters are hereby granted temporary authority to transport commodities and to exempt the permit requirements for the movement of overweight and over dimensional emergency equipment and supplies, temporary emergency buildings and housing, building and construction materials, storm wreckage and debris and agricultural products, including timber.

The weight, height, length and width for any such commercial vehicle on specified roadways maintained by the State of Mississippi shall not exceed the following:

A. The maximum Gross Vehicles Weight for vehicles equipped with five (5) weight-bearing axles with outer bridge spans of not less than forty (40) feet, but less than fifty-one (51) feet, shall not exceed ninety thousand (90,000) pounds.

B. The maximum Gross Vehicle Weight for vehicles equipped with five (5) weight-bearing axles with out bridge spans of not less than fifty-one (51) feet shall not exceed ninety-five thousand (95,000) pounds.

C. The maximum Gross Vehicle Weight for vehicles equipped with four (4) weight-bearing axles with outer bridge spans of not less than forty-three (43) feet shall not exceed eighty thousand (80,000) pounds.

D. The total length of any vehicle identified above shall not exceed eighty (80) feet. Rear overhang shall not exceed 28 feet during daylight hours. Any movement after sunset will be limited to a four foot rear overhang.

E. The maximum width and/or height of any vehicle shall not exceed fourteen (14) feet. If a vehicle exceeds this width and/or height, the MDOT, Permits Division must be contacted for route information. (1-888-737-0061)

F. Transporters are responsible to ensure that they have proper oversize signs, markings, flags, and escort as defined in the State of Mississippi’s rules and regulations. Insurance and safety requirements shall not be waived.

Nothing in this Temporary Order shall be construed to allow any vehicle to exceed weight limits posted for bridges and like structures, not shall anything in this Temporary Order be construed to relieve any vehicle or the carrier, owner, or driver of any vehicle from compliance with any restrictions other than those specified in this Supplemental Order, or from any statue, rule, order or other legal requirements not specifically waived herein.

Effective: September 7, 2005 through November 6, 2005



Approval:

Willie Huff, Director
MDOT, Law Enforcement

2005 MFA Annual Meeting

Because of the widespread devastation in Mississippi due to Hurricane Katrina on August 29, the MFA Annual Meeting Committee voted to postpone the 2005 Annual Meeting to January 23-25, 2006.

Tentative plans are to conduct the meeting at Choctaw’s Pearl River Resort, near Philadelphia, so that it will be centrally located for all MFA members.

Should you need more information, please contact MFA’s Annual Meeting Planner Eleana Pope or 601.354.4936.

IRS Waives Diesel Fuel Penalty Due to Hurricane Katrina

The Internal Revenue Service, in response to shortages of clear diesel fuel caused by Hurricane Katrina, will not impose a tax penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold for use or used on the highway.

This relief applies beginning August 25, 2005, in Florida, August 30, 2005, in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and August 31, 2005, in the rest of the United States, and will remain in effect through September 15, 2005.

This penalty relief is available to any person that sells or uses dyed fuel for highway use. In the case of the operator of the vehicle in which the dyed fuel is used, the relief is available only if the operator or the person selling the fuel pays the tax of 24.4 cents per gallon. The IRS will not impose penalties for failure to make semimonthly deposits of this tax. IRS Publication 510, Excise Taxes for 2005, has information on the proper method for reporting and paying the tax.
Ordinarily, dyed diesel fuel is not taxed, because it is sold for uses exempt from excise tax, such as to farmers for farming purposes and to local governments for buses.

Finally, the Internal Revenue Service will not impose the recently enacted tax penalty on a failure to meet the requirements of EPA highway diesel fuel sulfur content regulations if EPA has waived those requirements.