ESFPA E-News

ESFPA Meets with DEC Commissioner Lefton

This morning ESFPA Directors Mike McLarty and Jeff Denkenberger along with Executive Director John Bartow met with DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton to discuss priorities for the coming year.  On the agenda were efforts to leverage timber markets through State timber sales and advancing markets associated with mass timber and renewable fuels. We also discussed ways that the Wood Products Development Council could partner with private industry in stimulating investment.

Workforce issues were also high on the agenda where we discussed ways to improve logger training and workforce recruitment and training throughout the supply chain. Commissioner Lefton specifically asked for follow up. Commissioner Lefton also asked for ideas on how the State could improve outreach to private forest landowners to improve forest stewardship objectives that enhance fiber and timber production as well as conservation objectives.

Finally, we discussed the possibility of amending and enacting forest property tax law provisions. John indicated that this would be a major topic of the Fall Forestry Roundtable on November 3rd, and Commissioner Lefton committed DEC participation in the Roundtable on that and other topics. 

This next budget will be challenging, but good ideas can still be put forth particularly if they help the State's economy and make sense for the environment. 

Fall Forestry Roundtable Agenda & Registration

This year’s ARC/ESFPA Fall Forestry Roundtable will be held on Monday, November 3rd, at SUNY Adirondack. Key discussion topics will include mass timber development and the state’s RPTL 480a program & future forest tax policy considerations.

Mass Timber - The future of New York’s forests needs new opportunities in markets and uses for wood products.  Using wood in mass timber and in addressing embodied carbon is one opportunity we want to explore in this panel. Mass timber construction is still in its infancy, especially in the U.S., but there are clear reasons to believe that it will become much more common. Mass timber provides a much-desired carbon sink, allows for rapid construction, and can provide cost savings not just in time but also in a reduced need for finish materials because the structural wood product can also serve as a finish. Bringing together panelists that have design and research experience in the use of wood in buildings and in deploying mass timber projects is the primary goal of this panel.

RPTL 480a and Future Forest Tax Policy - For almost as long as Real Property Tax Law Section 480a has been adopted (since 1972), there has been talk of amending it to make it simpler and more inclusive of forest stewardship objectives. As part of the work of the Climate Scoping Plan Agriculture and Forestry Working Group, there were several recommendations for amending RPTL Section 480a to adopt new provisions for broadening forest stewardship tax benefits. This panel will flush out some of those proposals from the Climate Scoping Plan as well as new concepts that have arisen in the years since the Scoping Plan. The panel will also discuss what may be necessary to bring diverse stakeholders along to reach consensus on changes in forest tax law that would make the program more attractive to forest landowners and beneficial in concerning New York’s forests.

More details on the panels, including speakers, will be announced within the coming week. We look forward to seeing you!

Click the link below to register:

New Survey Shows New Yorkers Worry All-Electric Mandate Threatens Energy Choice and Affordability

By New York State Builders Association

A new statewide survey finds that most New Yorkers remain unaware of the state’s All-Electric Buildings Act, and those who are aware raise significant concerns about affordability, energy reliability, and the loss of consumer choice. The survey was conducted by Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) and commissioned by the New York State Builders Association (NYSBA). More than 1,200 residents across the state participated, providing a representative snapshot of public perceptions.

The All-Electric Buildings Act, which begins taking effect for new residential construction on January 1, 2026, is designed to transition new buildings away from fossil fuel systems. The findings reveal broad skepticism toward the mandate.

Key findings include:

• Low Awareness and Support: Only 14% of New Yorkers report being moderately or significantly aware of the law, with support levels generally low outside Downstate regions.
• Affordability Concerns: Many respondents cited cost as their top concern, including the expense of appliance upgrades and the potential for higher home construction costs.
• Energy Choice at Risk: New Yorkers overwhelmingly prefer gas for stoves, ovens, and furnaces. Residents expressed frustration at losing the ability to choose energy sources that best fit their needs.
• Reliability in Cold Weather: Across all regions, residents questioned the performance of electric heat pumps during harsh winters and emphasized the continued need for backup heating systems.
• Impact on Housing: Respondents warned that the mandate could slow residential construction and discourage families from building or buying new homes.

“New Yorkers want climate solutions, but they also want affordable housing, reliable energy, and the freedom to choose what works best for their families,” said Mike Fazio, Executive Director of the New York State Builders Association. “This survey makes clear that the All-Electric Buildings Act, as currently structured, risks raising costs and placing new strains on affordability, energy reliability, and consumer choice.”

The report also underscores the need for broader public engagement, infrastructure readiness, and economic support if New York is to meet its environmental goals without sacrificing housing affordability or consumer choice.

To make this research as accessible as possible, we are providing three versions of the report:

• Executive Overview (Condensed version)
• Complete Report (Full survey analysis)
• Key Findings (At-a-glance highlights)

Hardwood Trade Relief Letter Sent to Trump Team

Yesterday the Hardwood Federation transmitted a letter to Trump Administration officials making the case that U.S. hardwood companies should be included in any trade assistance programs addressing agriculture industries negatively impacted by trade and tariff policies.  The letter was sent to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutkin, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Over 430 hardwood mills, manufacturers, yards, logging companies, and suppliers signed on to the letter. ESFPA collaborated with the Hardwood Federation to help spread the word and share the information, and we thank all of you who quickly responded to the request for signatures. Your action made all the difference in securing so many company names for the transmission.

The Hardwood Federation continues to focus advocacy efforts on raising awareness of current challenges facing the industry and the need to structure trade agreements that support exports or provide bridge support to sustain hardwood operations until such deals can be achieved.  We hope to share other similar opportunities in the near future.

Click the link below to read the letter:

State Seeks to Buy Majority of Whitney Estate

Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed a desire to purchase the majority of acreage of Whitney Park, the 36,600-acre tract of vast forests and lakes in the Adirondacks.

Hochul wrote to the trustees of the estate of John Hendrickson, who died in 2024, about the future of the property Hendrickson left behind in Long Lake. The letter was also addressed to Todd Interests, the Texas development company that this spring secured the rights to buy Whitney Park from the estate.

In the letter, Hochul said her administration wants to work with the trustees to find a resolution that “preserves” the property and potentially add much of it to the Adirondack Forest Preserve.

Click the link below to read the letter:

WOTUS Definition

EPA has submitted a proposed rule to federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that will revise the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition. The rule appears to more closely align the WOTUS definition with the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA, which narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA), most notably for wetlands.

If you recall we have reported several on again, off again proposed rules on this since the Supreme Court ruling in 2024. This will have significant impacts on federal Army Corps of Engineers wetland jurisdiction, but limited impact on NYS wetland jurisdiction.

Federal Government Funding

The Congressional stalemate over funding the federal government continues into a second week. The Senate has voted six times on both the House-passed Continuing Resolution and a Senate Democrat measure. Both continue to fall short of the requisite 60-vote threshold to proceed.

As we noted last week, the House has been in recess, but the Senate remains in session and is processing nominations. Last week, the Senate confirmed Michael Boren to be the Undersecretary for Natural Resources and the Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is a key position, as Mr. Boren will oversee the Forest Service in this role.

North Country Climate Ready Workforce Roundtable