An Alternative Voluntary and Collaborative Approach
As an alternative to the specific ideas outlined separately, consider an approach which is based on the following:
1. An aggressive effort to increase the supply of wood that is affordably available to all of Maine’s wood-using industries.  This could involve:
a. Incentives for loggers to purchase small equipment to enable them to operate profitably in small diameter stands.
b. Incentives for loggers to operate in stands that have not been commercial up until now
c. Reducing costs and improving delivery times on the railroads that serve Maine’s forest products industry
d. Incentives for improving forest management
e. Coordinating wood movement to reduce costs
2. A voluntary commitment by all segments of the industry to purchasing wood from certified sources
3. Providing foresters who represent the landowners interest for small landowners undertaking a harvest
4. A voluntary commitment by producers of electricity from biomass to include a productive use for the waste heat
5. A commitment to a relationship among landowners, loggers, and mills that, while maintaining confidentiality regarding specific contracts, is for the good of all transparent regarding the rates paid for materials and services and provides a fair rate of return for all efficient operations.
Such an approach would avoid the need for regulatory approaches, and could simultaneously increase wood supply, reduce costs, and achieve the public policy goals of maximizing economic benefits and energy efficiency.  It would, however, require a cooperative approach to addressing a variety of issues.