If you’re considering buying your first home, then take note. The feds are offering a tax credit (maximum $7,500) that works like an interest-free loan. It must be paid back over 15-year period, but can provide the help needed for many first-time buyers to make their home-ownership dreams come true. The credit is available for homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009.

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First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Website Draws More than 100,000 Visitors

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 – A newly launched Web site,
www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com, has attracted more than 100,000 visitors,
indicating that there is a strong interest among consumers to take advantage
of a temporary $7,500 tax credit for the purchase of a first home, according
to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“The initial response is encouraging,” said NAHB President Sandy Dunn, a
home builder from Point Pleasant, W.Va. “This could be the trigger that
helps move prospective first-time buyers off the fence and back into the
market. But it won’t last forever.”

The tax credit is among several provisions included in landmark housing
legislation enacted into law last month that will help get housing and the
economy back on their feet.

The Web site contains useful information on how the tax credit works,
including eligibility requirements. To date, the site has attracted 116,000
unique visitors, or about 10,000 per day. It includes details and questions
and answers on how home buyers can use the credit and is divided into four
sections:

- Tax Credit at a Glance.  This provides a brief overview on how the credit
works.

- Frequently Asked Questions. A clear to read question and answer format
contains basic information about the tax credit, including the definition of
a first-time home buyer, what type of homes qualify for the tax credit, what
are the income limits to qualify, payback provisions and more.

- The Law’s Other Provisions. In addition to the tax credit, this section
summarizes a number of provisions in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act
of 2008 that will help prevent foreclosures, reinvigorate the housing market
and strengthen the nation’s economy.

- Home Buyer Resources. Provides online resources to make the buying process
smoother.

Source: www.nahb.org

Premature Deterioration Poses a Risk of Injury

Includes decking and railing made at LP’s Meridian, Idaho plant and sold as WeatherBest®, Veranda® and ABTCo after Jan. 1, 2005

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 7, 2008) — Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP Building Products) (LP) (NYSE: LPX) today issued a product advisory for composite decking materials purchased after January 1, 2005, and made by LP at its Meridian, Idaho facility.

Some of the product can prematurely deteriorate and break, posing a risk of injury to consumers. LP decking products, including deck board and railings sold under the names of LP WeatherBest®, WeatherBest®, ABTCo and Veranda® are subject to this advisory.

The products are used for building outdoor decks. LP has received claims of premature deterioration of a small portion of its decking product due to variations in manufacturing processes in this time frame.

LP Executive Vice President of Specialty Products and Sales Rick Olszewski said, “We want consumers to be aware of the potential risk of injury, and to contact us. Though only a small portion of decking sold has been affected by these issues, we urge people who bought or installed these composite decking products after January 1, 2005 to contact us for an inspection through our decking notice Web site or customer service line.”

The decking advisory Web site is at www.deckingnotice.com.Products Affected

Even if there is no visible sign of deterioration, if you purchased Veranda or WeatherBest decking or railing products after January 1, 2005, please visit the decking advisory Web site at www.deckingnotice.com or contact LP Decking Customer Service to register and determine if your deck is among the products affected. Veranda is produced by several manufacturers, but only product produced by LP is affected by this advisory. Visit www.deckingnotice.com or contact LP Decking Customer Service for help in determining which product you may have. To ensure deck owners’ safety, LP will arrange an inspection to determine if your deck is affected by the deterioration issue in this notice and will remedy the problem, up to replacement of the entire deck if needed.

For more information, help identifying the products or to arrange an inspection, go to LP’s decking advisory Web site at www.deckingnotice.com or contact LP Decking Customer Service at 1.888.325.1184.Photo caption: Boards with premature deterioration may show flaking, cracking or other obvious signs of deterioration. If your deck is affected stop using the deck and contact LP at www.deckingnotice.com or through the toll-free customer service number, 1-888-325-1184.LP, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., is a premier supplier of building products, manufacturing innovative, high-quality commodity and specialty products for its retail, wholesale, homebuilding and industrial customers. LP no longer manufactures decking or railing products. Visit LP’s Web site at www.lpcorp.com for additional information on the company.

 Lafarge’s Buchanan Plant To Produce Environmentally-Friendly product
Lafarge, North America’s largest diversified supplier of construction materials, and Mirant Corporation, a leading U.S.-based competitive energy company, today announced that they have signed a long-term agreement under which Mirant, beginning in 2010, will supply synthetic gypsum to Lafarge’s gypsum drywall manufacturing facility in Buchanan, New York.  
Reflecting Lafarge’s long-standing commitment to producing “green” products, the company will invest in an upgrade of its Buchanan plant which will enable it to manufacture a full line of gypsum products using this environmentally-friendly material. The supply agreement will also ensure Lafarge’s continuing, cost-effective access to a critical raw material used in its building products. Upon scheduled completion in 2010, the gypsum board manufactured in this plant will exceed 99 percent recycled content by weight and qualify toward the attainment of LEED^® credits in the construction of “Green Buildings” throughout the northeastern United States.
Lafarge is an industry leader in the use of synthetic gypsum. With the addition of the Buchanan plant, nearly all of the gypsum board manufactured by Lafarge in North America will be made with 100 percent recycled paper and recycled gypsum. Currently, Lafarge’s Silver Grove, Kentucky plant and Palatka, Florida plant qualify for this distinction.
“This is a major step in our evolution to be the industry leader in gypsum board and the number one supplier of ‘green’ building products,” said Ike Preston, President of Lafarge Gypsum in North America. “This upgrade will allow us to serve virtually all of our trading area with recycled product and assist our customers in meeting the requirements of LEED^® certified construction.”
Mirant will transport the synthetic gypsum to Lafarge’s Buchanan facility from its Morgantown and Chalk Point electric generating stations in Maryland.  Synthetic gypsum is a by-product created from the sulfur dioxide removal technology currently being constructed at Mirant’s Maryland power plants as part of the company’s $1.6 billion investment in air pollution control technologies.     
“Partnering with Lafarge allows Mirant to maximize the environmental benefit from the installation of these systems.  The beneficial use of the synthetic gypsum eliminates the need for waste disposal of the by-product,” said Bob Driscoll, CEO, Mirant Mid-Atlantic, LLC.