So far the weather has been kind to us this year, but now we are being attacked by rising fuel prices!

Think of how much fuel we use on a regular basis. We run two skidders, two cranes, four tractor trailers, one service truck, one harvester and one chipper on diesel. Oh, and don’t forget one excavator and one bulldozer. I am not even going to add in all the regular gas that it takes to fuel all our company vehicles. Diesel is the lifeblood of the Forest Products industry and some of our comrades are dying a slow death. Most contracts in our industry do not have fuel adjustment procedures. We are working on some jobs where the contracts were signed a good six months to a year ago.

Some loggers are being forced to shut down, and others are bowing out gracefully. Once again we are put in yet another desperate situation.

There is a Grass Roots effort to draw attention to our situation before we are forced into a more drastic situation, where the flow of wood could come to a screeching halt!

One of our fellow Master Logger’s has sent out an appeal to all the concerned people of Maine asking them to please call some of our political leaders in an effort to capture their attention. He feels we should jump into action before it’s too late. The following is a list of numbers so that we may join the cause.

Governor Baldacci: 287-3531
Senator Susan Collins: 224-2523
Senator Olympia Snowe: 224-5344
Representative Mike Michaud: 225-6306

There has also been some talk of rallies around the state to draw attention to this desperate situation. If anyone knows of the locations of these rallies, please post them here so the word will get out.

Some of the mills are starting to help. Thanks to those who have recognized we are all in this together!

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