Public Policy and Advocacy
Committed to Transparent Advocacy
Building relationships with federal, state, and local government representatives and their staff enables us to engage on issues that are important to our business and to influence policy through education and advocacy.
PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY
PotlatchDeltic’s business can be impacted by international and U.S. federal, state, and local public policy. Our Public Affairs team works with management to actively engage in the political process through public policy and legislative advocacy on issues that have the potential to impact our Company and the industries in which we operate.
We regularly meet with national, state, and local elected officials and their staff. We often work together with industry associations or coalitions in these efforts to highlight issues of importance. Our involvement can range from writing letters in support of, or opposition to, proposed legislation, educating legislators and their staff on an issue, or participating in rulemaking regarding proposed regulatory changes. We are committed to conducting these activities in an accountable and transparent manner.
Our Public Affairs team regularly reports internally to our Executive Management team on lobbying activities to ensure alignment with our mission and values, and pillars and goals. Material advocacy communications such as letters of support and participation in regulatory rulemaking are subject to internal legal review. When working with our trade associations and lobbying on related policy issues, we monitor and align our actions with the Paris Agreement. If there are any misalignments between our views and the trade associations, they are handled through our Vice President of Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer to ensure our actions remain aligned with the Paris Agreement.
POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Political contributions are one of the important ways we engage in the political process, and we take steps to comply with all laws and regulations regarding contributions. Contributions to the campaigns of United States federal elected officials are funded through the nonpartisan PotlatchDeltic Corporation Political Action Committee (PotlatchDeltic PAC), which is compliant with all applicable laws and is regulated by the United States Federal Election Commission (FEC).
PotlatchDeltic PAC disbursements are made to candidates who demonstrate good character, integrity, and personal conduct based on several factors that include: whether the candidates are running in states or districts where we have employees, assets, or business interests; whether the candidates have demonstrated leadership in areas that directly affect the industries in which we operate; and whether the candidates have indicated their support for issues of importance to us. Our PotlatchDeltic PAC charter and PAC Political Contribution Policy & Procedures establish the guidelines that the PAC follows when making political contributions. The PotlatchDeltic PAC Administrative Committee oversees the contributions of the PAC, including that contributions are made to candidates who meet the disbursement criteria outlined in the PAC Political Contributions Policy & Procedures.
At times, PotlatchDeltic makes corporate contributions to the campaigns of U.S. state and local candidates in states where such contributions are permitted. In addition, corporate contributions are made to several state association PACs for state and local campaign contributions. We typically do not make payments to influence ballot issues, unless the issues are directly tied to the Company’s core values and business interests.
In 2024, our total contributions to association PACs for federal contributions was $17,500. Our federal PAC contributions were $66,500 with 14% to Senators’ and 86% to Congressional Representatives’ campaigns. 60% of contributions were to Senators and Congressional Representatives within our footprint. Contributions and disbursements were publicly disclosed as required by law and can be viewed on the FEC campaign finance database.
In 2024, PotlatchDeltic directly contributed $84,550 towards state and local campaigns and to state industry association PACs in Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, and Washington.
PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY ISSUES
In 2024, we engaged on several topics including softwood lumber trade, visas for H2-B workers, wildlife, and climate-related opportunities. We also continued to work towards solutions on issues related to wildfire, tax matters, and carbon neutrality of biomass, and continued to oppose legislation that could have a negative impact on the forest products or real estate industries. Some of the issues we were most active on include supporting renewal of the 2023 Farm Bill with several forest industry priority programs focused on forest data and analysis and wood innovation grants. We also engaged on efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to revise NAAQS PM2.5 rules and Formaldehyde exposure rules that we believed could have a negative effect on our business.
ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS
PotlatchDeltic works within several national or state industry associations to direct lobbying outreach and participates in several coalitions and advisory boards. The topics we have been engaged in vary from state issues to broader national matters. Some issues are resolved in a short timeframe while others can evolve over many years. Some of these associations may have interactions with federal or state government officials. Federal trade associations establish the percentage of their membership dues that is attributable to lobbying activity. In 2024, the total amount of trade association membership dues paid by PotlatchDeltic that was attributable to lobbying activity was over $302,000.
The wildfire crisis has become all too evident in recent years. Decades of fire exclusion, combined with reduced management on federal lands, has led to a dangerous accumulation of natural fuels that create ladders which enable fires to reach the crowns of trees. A drier weather cycle in some regions has further exacerbated fire conditions.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH USFS ON WILDFIRE
Our industry has been experiencing an increase in questions regarding the environmental impacts of our manufactured wood products from architects, home builders, homeowners and others who utilize our products in the built environment. To help respond to these questions, we have adopted a tool known as an Environmental Product Declaration (or, EPD).
LEARN MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS
