Environmentalists and some in the timber industry are accusing Nashville-area congressmen of trying to “gut” the Lacey Act. The century-old environmental law is at the heart of an ongoing federal investigation into Gibson Guitar.
While lawmakers say special considerations are needed for musical instruments, Andrea Johnson and other environmental advocates say the proposed changes are written too broadly.
One is meant to keep guitar owners from having to certify every different species of wood in their instrument. Johnson says it also creates a loop hole for companies that import products containing multiple kinds of wood, like paper or engineered flooring.
“Music makers are providing a convenient cover-up for a massive giveaway to other industries who want to continue to profit from violations of the law here and abroad.”
In 2008, the Lacey Act was amended to include wood products in order to limit competition from the black market and protect forests around the world. Brentwood Republican Marsha Blackburn, often a critic of environmental regulation, says she has no intention of dismantling the Lacey Act.
“There’s always going to be disagreement about laws. Our goal is to bring clarity to an area that has suffered great confusion.”
Democrat Jim Cooper is co-sponsoring the changes and contends the proposal is a “surgical fix” for what is a very complicated law.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM