USDA Awards Funds to Expand and Accelerate Wood Energy and Wood Product Markets in Oregon and Washington

Release Date: 

Contact(s): Glen Sachet, 503-808-2790


Portland, Oregon – Recently, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of over $1.5 million to Oregon and Washington to expand and accelerate wood energy and other wood product markets. The federal funds will leverage an additional $1.5 million in investments from partners, resulting in a total investment of over $3 million in both states.

"Working with our partners, the Forest Service is promoting deployment of new technologies, designed to support new market opportunities for wood energy and innovative wood building materials," said Vilsack. "This funding also supports forest management needs on the National Forest System and other forest lands throughout the United States."

"The Forest Service recognizes the need for a strong forest products industry to help accomplish forest restoration work," said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "One of the best opportunities for reducing the cost of restoration treatments is to ensure strong markets for the byproducts of these treatments."

The USFS 2015 Wood Innovations Grants - Oregon and Washington are: 

  • Integrated Biomass Resources (OR): A grant for $246,000 titled “Waste Heat Recovery and Residual Drying.”
  • Yakima Specialties (WA): A grant for $97,400 titled “Conversion to Biomass in the Food Processing and Commercial Laundry Sectors in Yakima, WA.”
  • Oregon State University (OR): A grant for $249,888 titled “Utilization of Low-Value Lumber from Small Diameter Logs Harvested in Pacific Northwest Forest Restoration Programs in Hybrid Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Core Layers.”
  • Washington State University (WA): A grant for $249,993 titled “A Pilot Supply Chain for Advanced Manufacturing of Cross Laminated Timber in the Pacific Northwest.”
  • Ed Staub & Sons (OR): A grant for $84,012 titled “Bulk Biomass Fuel Distribution for Thermal Market Expansion in the Northwestern United States.”
  • Family Forest of Oregon (OR): A grant for $250,000 titled “Commercial Biochar Products for Forest Restoration in the Pacific Northwest.
  • Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (OR): A grant for $117,000 title “Central Oregon Biomass Energy Cluster Development Strategy and Project Development.”
  • Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OR): A grant of $249,628 titled “Oregon Forest Products Marketing Program.”

“We are all very excited about this opportunity and look forward to working with our federal partners to expand and accelerate the wood products markets here in the Pacific Northwest,” said Paul Barnum, Executive Director, Oregon Forest Resources Institute.

“The combination of in-kind matching and federal investment is a compelling story of investment in biomass, innovation and partnership,” said Teresa Raaf, Forest Service Pacific Northwest Director for State and Private Forestry. “These eight grants awarded in Washington and Oregon represents a big step in innovation and investment.”

For more information on the grant and cooperative agreement program, visit http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/wip/2015-rfp.shtm.

States receiving funding include: Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Ill., La., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., N.C., Neb., Nev., Ore., Pa., S.C., S.D., Utah, Va., Vt., Wash., and Wis. See a complete list of the awards at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/wip/wood.pdf

 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.