Proposed Lacey Changes Have Supporters, Critics

Washington, DC, Nov. 17, 2011 -- A coalition of wood industry and environmental representatives voiced their continued support for the Lacey Act in a teleconference call held Wednesday.

Targeted specifically in comments the Retailers and Entertainers Lacey Implementation and Enforcement Fairness (RELIEF) Act, sponsored by Tennessee Reps. Jim Cooper and Marsha Blackburn and California Rep. Mary Bono Mack.

Lacey supporters said the changes would undermine efforts to reduce illegal logging while giving a “free pass” to imported items made from pulp, paper, composites and other non-solid wood products.

The RELIEF Act also reduces fines to $250 for the first offense.

The proposed changes are backed by a number of organizations, including the National Association of Music Merchants, the American Home Furnishings Alliance, the International Wood Products Association and the National Association of Home Builders.

However, a number of groups say the Lacey Act needs to be enforced more vigorously.

“Anything that makes the playing field unlevel, we’re against,” said Don Finkell, president of Anderson Floors.

Finkell said that a lot of imports in the flooring industry use questionably obtained wood, which makes is more difficult for the domestic industry to be competitive,