The Atlantis is offering our attendees four types of rooms:

 Atlantis Tower Room:                     $75

Luxury Tower Room:                       $95

Spa Floor Room:                             $95 (Limited Number of Rooms Available)

Bar Suite:                                      $115(Limited Number of Rooms Available)

 (A resort fee of $20 – discounted for ACL from $35 — will be added to the room rate, including unlimited local phone calls, and 800 toll calls, in-room wired or high-speed internet, valet and self-parking, use of fitness center, indoor and pools and Jacuzzi, and other services; and local applicable taxes will be applied. )

To reserve your rooms by phone, call the Atlantis at 800 723-6500 and say that you are with Associated California Loggers.

You can also book your room over the internet, in TWO ways:

ONE: You can book your room directly from this E-blast by going to this link at the Atlantis:

BOOK YOUR RESERVATIONS HERE

TWO: You can also book your hotel room by going to the ACL website, www.californialoggers.com,  clicking on the “Annual Meeting” article at the home page, and following the clicks directly to the web registration at the Atlantis.

We have agreed to a CUT-OFF DATE OF DECEMBER 30, 2021.  Reservations received after that date will only be accepted on a space and rate availability basis.

In the weeks to come, Associated California Loggers will – through these “E-blasts,” our newsletter, our ACL Facebook page and our ACL website – let our members and other attendees know of the classes, speakers, and events that will make this the dynamic event that launches the new year with renewed excitement and commitment. We hope to see everyone at the 2022 Associated California Loggers Annual Meeting in January!

The post TIME TO BOOK HOTEL ROOMS AND REGISTER! : 2022 ANNUAL MEETING RETURNS TO THE ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT SPA, RENO — JANUARY 11-13, 2022 appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

The post WE PROUDLY REANNOUNCE THE 2021 ASSOCIATED CALIFORNIA LOGGERS SPONSORS (WITH SOME NEW ONES!) appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM ANNOUNCED ON APRIL 2, 2020:

• An executive order to help small businesses, granting a 90-day extension for small businesses to pay the sales tax.
• The allocation of $50 million to the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank for loan guarantees to small businesses to eliminate barriers to capital for individuals who do not qualify for federal funds.
• The allowance of small businesses to to defer payment of sales and use taxes of up to $50,000, for up to 12 months.
• The allocation of $17.8 million in new state initiatives to support California workers impacted by COVID-19. The allocation will come from Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, with $7.8 million going to the Los Angeles region and $10 million made available statewide.

Information on the above and other issues can be found at the state website:  covid-19.ca.gov

Information on a platform to connect COVID-19 displaced workers with over 70,000 job opportunities in certain industries can be found at the website:  OnwardCA.org.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE GOVERNOR’S PRESS RELEASE AT THE LINK BELOW:

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/04/02/governor-newsom-announces-new-help-for-small-businesses-workers-displaced-by-covid-19/

The post COVID-19: NEW WEBSITE FOR BUSINESSES AND WORKERS appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

MESSAGE FROM JENNIFER MONTGOMERY, CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA FOREST MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE:

Please find attached a guidance document for State of California supported Vegetation Management activities.

This document is intended to provide clarity for, and guidance to, our partners and grantees engaged in vegetation management projects who have expressed concerns and raised questions regarding their ability to continue working on existing projects and/or to bring on new seasonal  crews.

Please understand that Federal guidelines may be different from our State guidelines. We recommend that you reach out directly to your Federal partners/contacts for their guidelines and regulations.

The first part of the document outlines who is excluded from the California mandatory shelter at home directive.

The second part of the document identifies generally accepted best practices to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

BMPs FOR VEG MGMT GO APPROVED DOC

The post CALIFORNIA GUIDANCE DOCUMENT FOR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST OF A NUMBER OF “SHARED E-MAILS” FOR ACL MEMBERSHIP TO START LOOKING INTO FEDERAL (AND STATE) MONIES AVAILABLE TO GET YOU THROUGH THE BUSINESS IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS.   RECOMMENDATION:  MEET WITH YOUR BANKERS AND CREDIT UNIONS TO FIND OUT MORE!

“Insight, news and resources on forests, renewable energy and forest products industry”

2020, Issue No. 4 special

Keep Up With Us

Twitter @wood2energy & @cniebling

PART 2: SBA Paycheck Protection Act – Support for Forest Industries and Others

This information was developed by Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC for our clients and friends, using publicly available information. Please be sure to consult your attorney and/or financial advisory prior to entering into any contracts, and be aware that terms of any loan should be carefully reviewed.

See below for an overview of the Program that we sent yesterday, March 31, 2020.

Here is new information with key links that we just received:

https://home.treasury.gov/cares

ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses

Eric Kingsley & Charles Levesque
Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC
kingsley@inrsllc.com
207-233-9910
levesque@inrsllc.com
603-588-3272
What we sent yesterday 3/31/20:

SBA Paycheck Protection Act – Support for Forest Industries

This information was developed by Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC for our clients and friends, using publicly available information.  Please be sure to consult your attorney and / or financial advisory prior to entering into any contracts, and be aware that terms of any loan should be carefully reviewed.

What is the SBA Paycheck Protection Program?

• Title 1 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is the Keeping American Workers Paid and Employed Act, which provides relief for small businesses and their employees who are affected by the outbreak of COVID-19;
• The key program is the “Paycheck Protection Program,” an emergency lending tool, administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under its existing 7(a) lending program, to provide loans to small business on favorable terms to borrowers impacted by the economic uncertainty brought about because of the pandemic;
• There is roughly $350 billion set aside for this program – it is the largest program targeted toward small businesses in the CARES Act;
• The Paycheck Protection Program has two main goals:
  • Help small businesses cover immediate and near-term operating expenses, and
  • Provide an incentive for employers to retain employees.

How does the Paycheck Protection Program Work?

• The program provides small businesses and non-profits with 500 or fewer employees with federally insured, partially forgivable loans that can be used to cover operating expenses:
  • Maximum loan is 250% of the employer’s monthly payroll costs, or $10 million (whichever is less);
  • Payroll costs include wages, salaries, retirement contributions, healthcare benefits and contributions to retirement;
• The program has a number of attractive features for borrowers, including:
  • Six to twelve months of deferred payments
  • Waiver of loan application and processing fees
  • Streamlined application and approval process;
• Most importantly, the Paycheck Protection Program has a loan forgiveness feature:
  • This effectively turns some of the loan into a grant that does not need to be repaid
  • Loan forgiveness equivalent to the sum spent on qualifying expense
    • Payroll;
    • Rent;
    • Utilities;
    • Mortgage interest payments;
  • To qualify for loan forgiveness, borrowers must:
    • Maintain their pre-crisis level of full-time equivalent employees (or face a reduction in forgiveness proportional to the reduction in headcount);
    • Because some businesses have already been forced to make staffing reductions in response to shrinking markets and lost revenues, the legislation includes a provision that allows those companies to qualify for loan forgiveness if they have re-hired back to pre-crisis levels by June 30, 2020;
• Borrowers do not need to show economic harm, but do need to certify that:
  • The current economic conditions created by COVID-19 necessitate a loan to support ongoing business operations;
  • The funds will be used to maintain payroll and other covered expenses;
• Loan terms:
  • 10-year maturity;
  • Interest not to exceed 4%;
  • Deferral of any payments for 6-12 months (when coupled with loan forgiveness provisions, this may mean some entities never make a payment);
• Lenders are expected to prioritize loans to small business and companies in rural areas, which describes most forest industries;
• Applications are through banks and other financial institutions that administer Small Business Administration loans.Check with your bank or financial institution to see if they can assist with this loan process.
• As of March 31, 2020, rules for banks making these loans are still in development. It is anticipated that these loans will be available in the near future, and companies are encouraged to reach out to their banks as soon as possible if they want to learn more about this opportunity.

Eric Kingsley
Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC
kingsley@inrsllc.com
207-233-9910

The post COVID-19 PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

The deadline for getting your units to Associated California Loggers to be placed on the 2020 ProLogger List is Close of Business, Friday, April 24 . At least three major timber company employers are requiring evidence of ProLogger certification on bids.

If you already a ProLogger, all you need to do is to provide ACL with proof of having taken 8 elective units in 2020. These units were available at classes held in January through February at the ACL Annual Meeting and the Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference.

For the first time ever, due to COVID-19 concerns, the Redwood Region Logging Conference was cancelled. If you were looking to get your 8 elective ProLogger units at the Redwood Region Logging Conference for 2020, please contact the ACL office (number below) for an alternative means of getting those units.

Additionally, you need to mail (555 Capitol Mall, Suite 460, Sacramento, CA 95814) or FAX (916-441-7942) to the ACL office a copy of a valid card proving that you have taken First Aid/CPR training.

There are further details involved in the program, such as who qualifies to be placed on the ProLogger list (owners and co-owners of logging companies), and fees for the various courses. (ACL members get discounts.) Please contact ACL at 916-441-7940 or ecarleson@calog.com or jpardee@calog.com with any questions, and to obtain a “ProLogger Information Brochure.”  You can also visit the ACL website for ProLogger information at www.californialoggers.com. Click on “Training.”

The post 2020 PRO LOGGER LIST DEADLINE appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

CAL FIRE has announced that suppliers and/or equipment operators with a 2019 Fireline Safety Awareness Card who are unable to obtain a current 2020 Fireline Safety Awareness Card (main reason: classes are being cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns) WILL BE GIVEN AN EXTENSION FOR ONE YEAR FROM DATE OF ISSUE. 2019 cards must be shown to Hired Equipment Coordinators  and/or CAL FIRE personnel upon request.

This is good news, and a reminder that 2020 will have a number of such situations in which extensions, waivers, and exemptions will be granted to LTOs and other forest products workers, during the COVID-19 crisis.

ACL will continue to keep you informed.

A link to the official CALFIRE letter(with other requirements listed) is below:

CAL FIRE-ALLOWANCES FOR SUPPLIERS AND EQUIPMENT OPERATORS

The post CALFIRE EXTENDS 2019 FIRELINE SAFETY AWARENESS CARD EXPIRATION appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

DOWNLOADABLE HERE: A SUGGESTED FORM LETTER TEMPLATE TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE ALLOWED TO WORK DURING THE COVID-19 “STAY AT HOME” SHUT DOWN, AS A FOREST PRODUCTS WORKER

On March 24,  Associated California Loggers sent out the following message below and links:

CA-CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE EXEMPTION TRAVEL TEMPLATE

In “follow up” to federal and California guidances allowing “forest products workers” to work without having to stay home because of COVID-19 issues – ACL has obtained this downloadable template (form letter) for your use as an employer or sole operator.

 CA CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE EXEMPTION TRAVEL TEMPLATE

This letter could be given to your employees to carry in case they are stopped by law enforcement or government agents. While there has been only very limited enforcement of the Governor’s “stay at home” order, there could be additional enforcement in the weeks and months to come. Violation of the Governor’s order is a misdemeanor punishable with a fine of up to $1,000 per infraction. Use of this letter would be one way to protect your employees.

Associated California Loggers thanks the Califiornia Forestry Association for this template, which was prepared by their lawyer.

UPDATE: We have received calls asking for a MS Word edit-ready version of this letter so that you can simply plug your company information into the form letter. Here it is. We have added the editable version of the letter to the links above.

If this does not work for you, please call the ACL office at 916-441-7940 and we will e-mail to you a Word version of this letter that you can edit.  We have already done this for a number of ACL members.

Thank you

The post FORM LETTER TO SHOW YOU ARE ALLOWED TO WORK appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

The federal government has issued “guidance” and identified 16 “critical infrastructure sectors” whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that  their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, economic security, public health or safety, or any combination thereof. The “essential critical infrastructure workforce”  may continue their work because of the importance of these sectors to the United States’ health and well-being.

In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has acknowledged these 16 sectors and stated that the “essential critical infrastructure workforce” can continue their work in California.

One of the 16 sectors includes within it: “Workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood products.”

This would include logging companies, log trucking companies, and log road building companies — as well as mill workers to keep our timber mills and other processing facilities open.

While we will all watch the “day to day changes” that the COVID-19 crisis has created, this is good news for our industry and the workers within it.

“Log on!!”

(BELOW: Links to (1)  the Federal Guidance Document and (2) Governor Newsom’s California Executive Order)

• Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
• California Executive Order

The post US GUIDELINES: FOREST PRODUCTS WORKERS ARE ESSENTIAL appeared first on Associated California Loggers.

LOGGING CONFERENCE CANCELLED

As many have heard already, the Logging Conference scheduled for March 19-21st in Ukiah has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 virus and the restrictions our governor has placed on gatherings.

We will be refunding purchased tickets for events in the upcoming weeks (with the exception of the gun raffle tickets if you had purchased them since we will be holding the drawing at the designated time. We will fill out the tickets for those who purchased them and put them in the drawing.)

We deeply apologize for any inconvenience and greatly appreciate your support of our Conference. We made every effort to press forward, however, in light of the Governor’s order to avoid large public gatherings, we feel it is necessary at this time to cancel the Conference and all events connected to it.

Again, this was not a decision that was made lightly. The RRLC Board took into consideration the time and effort that you and all participants have put in to attend the conference, however the health and safety of our community, family, friends, and patrons is paramount and it is that which led to the difficult decision to cancel this year’s conference.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office (707) 443-4091 or email: rrlc@sonic.net

Mary Ann Renner

Redwood Region Logging Conference
Mary Ann Renner
5601 So. Broadway
Eureka, CA   95503

Phone: 707.443.4091   Fax:  707.443.0926
www.rrlc.net

ADDITIONAL MESSAGE FROM ASSOCIATED CALIFORNIA LOGGERS ON PRO LOGGER CLASSES:

If you were scheduled to take First Aid/CPR and/or Risk Management on Thursday, March 19, as a “fee class” from Don Milani, please call Don at 916-916-704 to learn about refunds and possible later classes.

If you needed your 8 elective ProLogger units from the RRLC classes to be given on Friday, March 20, please call the ACL office to learn how to earn those units. Ask for Jan or Eric.

The post URGENT!: 2020 REDWOOD REGION LOGGING CONFERENCE HAS BEEN CANCELLED appeared first on Associated California Loggers.