May 16, 2024

Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $6.2 Million to Boost Oregon’s Innovative Wood Products Economy and Support Healthy Forests

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is investing $6,276,170 in 13 projects in Oregon to boost the creation of innovative wood products, develop more markets for uses of mass timber and renewable wood energy, and increase the capacity of wood processing and manufacturing facilities. The federal funding is critical to ensuring the state’s leadership in the wood products industry, while helping to restore healthy forests and reduce wildfire risk.

“Oregon has the best wood products in the world, and this federal funding helps keep our state at the forefront of timber innovation while supporting our rural communities,” said Merkley , who chairs the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee which funds the USFS, and who recently introduced his bipartisan Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act to promote the utilization of mass timber in federal building projects and military construction. “These projects are a win-win to help get wood products to our mills and help reduce wildfire risk on our forests. I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits of these investments for the fast-growing industry that’s deeply rooted in Oregon.”

“These federal investments throughout rural Oregon appropriately recognize that wood products and innovation are both synonymous with our state --and will continue to be for generations to come,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act that I worked to pass are producing such significant and immediate gains to reduce wildfire threats and to increase jobs for Oregonians in rural communities from mass timber and renewable wood energy. This all adds up to a big win that gives Oregon lots to build upon.”

The wood products economy is essential to Oregon and the entire Pacific Northwest’s economy and environment, as sustainably sourced materials for many types of wood products improves the resiliency of our forests. Removal of small diameter trees and brush to reduce wildfire risk can benefit wildlife all while supporting rural economies.

The investments for Oregon are part of a broader suite of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s USFS Wood Innovations Program grants for public, private, and non-profit sectors, totaling $73.9 million for 171 projects across the country this year. This federal funding is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and annual appropriations.

The 13 projects selected in Oregon are being funded in three Wood Innovations Program grant categories, which are as follows:

Wood Innovation Grants

  • $330,000 for Timberlab, Inc. for its Design for Mass Timber Manufacturing
  • $300,000 for Williams & Russell CDC for its Design for Black Business Hub Mass Timber Building
  • $300,000 for Community Development Partners for its Julia West' Mass Timber Building Engineering and Design
  • $300,000 for Elk Creek Forest Products for its Resaw Equipment Installation Project
  • $300,000 for Go Lab, Inc. for its Planning to Support Increasing Wood Products Manufacturing Capacity in Southern Oregon
  • $299,164 for Oregon State University for its Bringing Point-Supported Mass Timber Structures to Commercial Viability in the USA
  • $125,000 for Jennifer Bonner MALL, LLC for Blank House: A Model for Aspect Ratios in Seismic Zones
  • $50,699 for Brocks Wood Lot, LLC for its Brocks Wood Lot LLC Sawmill Expansion - Phase 1

Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant

  • $981,651 for Iron Triangle LLC for its Iron Triangle Biomass Utilization Efficiency Improvement Project
  • $900,000 for Gilchrist Forest Products, LLC for its Gilchrist Forest Products Chip Reloader Expansion
  • $389,656 for Brocks Wood Lot LLC for its Community Firewood Program Wood Waste Kiln System Installation

Community Wood Grant

  • $1 million for CutMyTimber for Expansion of Mass Timber Fabrication Capacity
  • $1 million for Timberlab, Inc for its Timberlab Mass Timber Fabrication Expansion

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