PCA speaks out against ‘Timber Innovation Act’
Published by Rebecca Bowden,
Assistant Editor
World Cement,
The PCA has urged Congress to reject the so-called ‘Timber Innovation Act’, introduced this week in both the US Senate and the House of Representatives, noting that the government is unfairly promoting wood-related building materials over others.
“This bill is a blatant attempt by the wood industry to secure a competitive advantage through legislative means,” said PCA Executive Vice President A. Todd Johnston. “Our government should not be in the business of promoting one building material over another.”
The bill promotes the wood materials sector, among other provisions, by incentivising state and local governments, universities and private companies with federal funds to conduct research and development, outreach and education to advance the use of mass timber products in construction.
“Construction-material decisions should be driven by the marketplace, through fair competition based on consumer demand,” Johnston said. “US cement consumption has yet to return to pre-recession levels, making it even more important that our industry not be undermined by policies like these from the federal government.”
According to the PCA, the US cement industry is currently operating at 79% capacity.
“Our country’s cement manufacturers are ready to help rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and compete for business as the housing and construction sectors slowly recover,” Johnston said. “We want fair competition – bills like these would rig the game.”
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/10032017/pca-speaks-out-against-timber-innovation-act/
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