The University of Alaska’s timber sale in Haines remains on hold despite last month’s announcement of a U.S. trade deal with China.
While phase one of the trade deal listed several varieties of wood products, there has been no tariff reduction on logs sold to China, said Rose Braden, president of Softwood Export Council, which works to expand the overseas market for conifer and evergreen wood products. The tariff on logs remains at 10%, she said.
In a Feb. 5 newsletter, UA land management office liaison Morgan Howard cited current tariffs and the “uncertainty in knowing when the trade war will end” as the reasons for the continued delay. The potential buyer, who will remain anonymous until after the transaction, will continue to work toward an eventual sale by developing the timber market and infrastructure necessary for the project, Howard wrote.
Sale negotiations began in March 2018 but have been delayed since August due to the ongoing trade war with China. Howard said he will continue to provide updates about the sale via newsletter.