Media Contact:
Region 5 Media Desk, SM.FS.MediaDeskR5@usda.gov
To help community businesses with restoration projects across federal or tribal land
VALLEJO, Calif., April 7, 2023 — Of the $29 million announced nationally for the Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 14 facilities in California will receive over a third of these grants. The $9.3 million will be used to help establish 10 new facilities and expand or restart four existing facilities that purchase and process wood byproducts from ecosystem restoration projects on federal or tribal lands.
These projects have a combined potential to process byproducts from over 100,000 acres of federal forest annually. The investment supports not just resilient, healthy forests but also strong rural economies and jobs in the forestry sector, especially in communities that depend on national forests and grasslands to grow and thrive.
“Once operational, all of the California facilities supported by Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance will provide critical outlets for the byproducts of forest management from national forests, including from six of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy initial landscape investments in the state,” said Helena Murray, Wood and Biomass Utilization Program Lead for the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region.
For example, grant funding will allow Hoopa Forest Industries to improve and expand their sawmill, supporting forest restoration on tribal land in the Klamath River Basin and Trinity Forest Health and Fire Resilient Communities landscapes.
Additionally, funds for temporary water crossing for skidders and heavy forestry equipment will create rental or cost-share programs for states and Tribes. In California, one Temporary Water Crossing project was awarded to the Hoopa Valley Tribe for $168,369. Temporary bridges help reduce the impact on water quality during timber operations.
Those receiving Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance in California:
|
APPLICANT |
FUNDING |
| Blue Mountain Electric Company, LLC | $1,000,000 |
| Camptonville Community Partnership | $265,948 |
| Community Renewable Energy Services, Inc | $990,058 |
| Franklin Logging, Inc | $694,228 |
| G.C. Forest Products, Inc | $884,000 |
| Golden State Natural Resources, Inc | $500,000 |
| Hat Creek Construction and Materials, Inc | $387,900 |
| High Desert Lumber, LLC | $474,000 |
| Hoopa Valley tribe -Hoopa Forest Industries | $796,923 |
| Lignum Support, LLC | $1,000,000 |
| Miracle Forest Products, LLC | $370,000 |
| Phoenix Biomass Energy | $449,389 |
| Plumas Corporation | $1,000,000 |
| Trinity River Lumber Company | $500,000 |
To learn more:
Region 5 Wood and Biomass Utilization Program
