FRA HONORS MAINE’S CONGRESSMAN MICHAUD

RELEASE: November 18, 2008

CONTACT: Neil Ward (301/838-9385)
nward@forestresources.org

Washington, DC – On November 18, the Forest Resources Association presented Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine) with its 2008 Legislative Leadership Award, in recognition of the Congressman’s vigorous advocacy for improving safety, transportation efficiency, and infrastructure conservation on the nation’s roads through an increase in gross vehicle weight limits, under suitable conditions, on the Interstate system.

Presenting the award at Rep. Michaud’s Washington office, FRA President Richard Lewis commented, “Your leadership on this issue, within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has been important in building momentum for reform on the national scene.” FRA, with other forestry and farm sector allies, is working with Rep. Michaud for GVW reform within the framework of the 2009 Highway Reauthorization Bill, through the Agricultural Transportation Efficiency Coalition, AgTEC (www.ag-haul.org).

Receiving the award, Rep. Michaud stated: “I am honored to receive this award. Promoting a more sensible truck weight policy in America makes common sense. For too long our communities, shippers, and haulers have had to deal with a patchwork of different rules. I will be working hard with my colleagues in Congress to promote changes in the upcoming reauthorization bill.”

The exclusion of state-legal heavy trucks from the federal Interstate in Rep. Michaud’s northern Maine district has forced truck traffic onto secondary roads and even through urban centers, since current rules exclude trucks in excess of 80,000 pounds from the Interstate, including federal bypasses. The result has been unnecessary traffic congestion and in-town safety exposures. Diverting this heavy traffic from state roads to federal roads designed to carry it would also improve fuel conservation, hauling efficiency, and air-quality impacts.

The Forest Resources Association Inc. is a nonprofit trade association concerned with the safe, efficient, and sustainable harvest of forest products and their transport from woods to mill. FRA represents wood consumers, independent logging contractors, and wood dealers, as well as businesses providing products and services to the forest resource-based industries.

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Caption for photo: “FRA President Richard Lewis (left) honors Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine) with FRA’s 2008 Legislative Leadership Award.”

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