PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 20, 2026
The mood across the Northeast’s logging industry is grim. Soaring diesel prices could be the final blow for many companies already on the brink of closing. “Nothing was improving,” said a central Maine logging company owner who recently shut down after 10 years in business. Diesel costs finally forced the decision. “It doesn’t seem like it’s going to get any better anytime soon.” So far, little has been done at the federal or state level to ease the burden. Major mills in New York and New Brunswick have announced closures. Loggers need relief from soaring diesel costs soon, and lasting solutions must also address the underlying economic pressures threatening their businesses, because right now too many are simply running on fumes. ~ Dana Doran, Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast