Forest Industry Leaders Address Climate Change and Fiber Legislation at AF&PA’s Paper Week

NEW YORK, N.Y.—Juanita D. Duggan, President and CEO of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), and Jim Rubright, CEO of Rock-Tenn Company, participated in a press conference today at AF&PA’s 130th Annual Paper Week in which they spoke about Congressional climate change legislation as well as recovered fiber and international competitiveness issues.

On the issue of climate change, Duggan commented, “Congress will be forced to consider the trade competitiveness issues around climate change legislation. The fact is that other nations with high-emitting industries are under no regulatory obligations. Many of those countries currently engage in unfair trading practices, giving those same nations a pass on climate change policy could hurt the U.S. economy and this industry.”

Duggan said that the climate change issue cannot be resolved “with a simple fix. The kind of legislation contemplated by some in Congress would necessitate drafting the most immense and far-reaching bill of its kind in decades. This is going to take significant research and consideration, as it will affect every facet of the economy and American life.”

Rubright, who serves as chairman of AF&PA’s Board of Directors, then spoke about the role of recovered fiber as part of the paper industry’s commitment to the environment. “I am very pleased to announce that in 2006 we reached a record-high recovery rate of 53.4 percent. In that year, 53.5 million tons of fiber were recovered for productive uses in the United States. This is good news for the industry, and good news for the environment, “ he said. “Increases in recovery rates don’t just happen overnight. They are the result of significant capital investments and education efforts on the part of the industry, and the dedication of millions of Americans who recover paper at home, school, and work on a daily basis.”