You’ve probably seen some of this already, but I want to take a moment to go back over it—not just because it’s worth repeating, but because it shows what we’re capable of when we stay focused on the right things.

Let’s start with the biggest one:

Lumber Exempted from New Tariffs

We were able to secure a full global exemption for lumber products from the new slate of tariffs announced earlier this year. And not just in theory—this exemption is actually written into the Executive Order, with the President’s signature right under it.

That kind of clarity matters. It puts us in a stronger position than most industries—including some very big ones—who are still trying to get their exemptions.

Corporate Transparency Act Narrowed

This one was a serious concern. The CTA wasn’t just overly complicated—it came with heavy penalties, including the possibility of criminal charges, just for filing paperwork incorrectly or late.

We were able to help move the needle so that the rule now only applies to non-domestic companies, taking that pressure off our members and giving small business owners one less thing to worry about.

Advanced Clean Truck Rule Rollback Begins

We’ve been working on this one for a while, and it’s starting to pay off. The federal government has begun the process to roll back California’s waiver that allowed states to enforce the ACT Rule.

This rule was already in place in 10 states—including NY, VT, MA, NJ, and MD—and others like Maine were looking at adopting it. It had effectively shut down the sale of new diesel trucks in many places, which was creating a real problem for industries like ours.

We’re not against electric trucks. But the reality is, specialized vehicles like boom trucks just aren’t available in electric models yet.

Even when they are, the cost is two to three times higher, and the charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles basically doesn’t exist—at least not in any way that works for day-to-day business.

This wasn’t just a regulation that needed tweaking—it was one that would’ve disrupted the way we do business. And now, we’re heading it off before it gets there.

These wins are a direct result of member support, smart strategy, and staying focused on the issues that actually move the needle for our industry.

We’ve got more work ahead—but this is a strong start to the year.

Thanks for being part of it.