By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

PITTSBURG – It was standing room only at the Pittsburg Fire Station as dozens of people attended a meeting with the Pittsburg selectboard Tuesday to learn about how forest carbon credits are replacing logging nationally and in their backyard in the Northern Forest.

Charles Levesque of Innovative Resource Solutions told officials the new model to manage the largest block of land in the state is now controlled by a massive company that has a mission to not cut trees but instead to sell the credits to not cut.

Apparently, corporations are paying more than the mills. Not cutting the wood has massive impacts to the region’s forest products economy, the tax base for Pittsburg, Clarksville and Stewartstown, and natural habitat of the Great North Woods.

“Everyone of us is panicking,” said Carie Pinheiro of Stewartstown. “A lot of the older folks don’t understand it because it’s so new.” She suggested a citizens committee come together to learn and help the community understand.
“In one sense, we are very lucky that there is a market. But we also have recourse to get back more money,” she said. “It’s our generation’s turn to stand up.”

Levesque gave an overview of the carbon credit market and the situation at the northern tip of the state.
Pittsburg Selectboard member Steve Ellis said the town received $175,000 in timber tax so far this year, a big chunk of the town’s $2 million budget.

The new company’s plan currently is to significantly curtail that under the new ownership.

 Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, who attended the meeting, said he spoke to officials for the new owner, Bluesource Sustainable, who said in the next year they plan to cut the harvest down by 50 percent because the market for carbon is offering a higher price.
“Obviously it’s a market decision,” Kenney said.

Margaret Machinist, who manages the forest easement for the state Division of Forests and Lands, said she has contacted the Attorney General’s Office to inquire on what the state’s rights are within the contract and recourse as it is related to a forest management plan that is annually agreed to by the state.
She said the governor’s office has also asked for a review of the situation and that her office has heard from many property owners and citizens concerned with the matter, which just recently came to light.

The state paid $45 million to protect this land with a timber focus more than 20 years ago and Levesque said the state needs to keep bringing that up with this new company which now holds more than 1.2 million acres across the country, primarily for carbon sequestration.

Kenney thanked Levesque and said the presentation should have been made by the new owners.

Stewartstown Selectman Harry Brown suggested the three impacted communities work together to help get the elected leaders together to have a singular voice and Levesque urged the public to keep the pressure on.

“Don’t stop. Keep the pressure on,” said Levesque. “Maybe they should realize that this land isn’t for them…and they weren’t here when all this happened and how important it is to the economy of this state.”

The state does have a right of first refusal to acquire the land, he confirmed.
But the 100-year agreement to not cut trees now goes with the property like an easement, Levesque said.
Ellis said he hopes that the next meeting will be attended by Shawn Hagan, a representative for Bluesource to give an overview of the corporation’s plans.
“This is a high priority,” Ellis said at the state level.

The timber tax could also be a route of redress, Levesque said, noting there is a law within RSA:79 which allows communities to recoup what would have been a timber tax if it is being diverted in another way, such as carbon credits.

The issue, those attending were told, is new and will have national and potentially international ramifications as corporations get to buy these credits as a way to reach zero carbon goals for their emissions.
These carbon registries, which sell the credits are largely unregulated, have a specific agenda. Selectman Ellis said the town is doing a deep dive right now into the impact at the state, county and federal level.
“My job is to be sure we take care of Pittsburg,” Ellis said.

Officials from members of the state’s legislative delegation, including Chuck Henderson from U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s office attended.

He said the senator has been briefed for the past three weeks on the situation.

Levesque, the presenter, is owner of Innovative Natural Resource Solutions of Antrim. He also lives in Pittsburg and is a member of the Connecticut Headwaters Citizens Advisory Committee.

He worked for the Brown Company out of college and then worked for the NH Timberland Owners Association before being hired by the Trust for Public Land to work on development of the easement which was intended to protect the traditional uses of the land, he said.

Snowmobiling on the property will not be impacted.
Levesque fielded questions from the many people concerned about the impacts to the forest industry, the tax base and recreation.