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USDA has announced grants totaling $4.1 million to help 17 small businesses and community groups find innovative uses for woody biomass from national forests, including new products and renewable energy.
During the March 7 announcement, USDA Secretary Ed Schafer said the grants will help create markets for small-diameter woody material, damaged and other low-valued trees removed to reduce the risk of fire hazard, insect infestation or disease. "The renewable use of shrubs and underbrush removes unhealthy overgrowth in our National Forests and creates local opportunity for new products and energy sources," Schafer said.
USDA's Forest Service selected 17 small businesses and community groups to receive the grants, ranging from $170,000 to $250,000. The Forest Service's State and Private Forestry, Technology Marketing Unit, at the agency's Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisc., will administer the grant program. The recipients were among 92 applicants requesting more than $20 million in funding support.
The 17 recipients receiving the 2008 Woody Biomass Utilization Grants included: Bear Mountain Forest Products, Portland, Ore., will receive $250,000; Big Sky Shavings, Hall, Mont., will receive $250,000; Coquille Tribe of Oregon, North Bend, Ore., will receive $250,000; Diamond Ridge Lumber, Caldwell, Idaho, will receive $168,000; K&B Timberworks Inc., Reserve, N.M., will receive $250,000; Marks Ranch and Lumber, Clancy, Mont., will receive $211,500; Nevada Division of Forestry, Carson City, Nev., will receive $250,000; Northridge Forest Products, Mora, N.M., will receive $250,000; Osler Logging Inc., Bozeman, Mont., will receive $250,000; Perkins Timber Harvesting, Williams, Ariz., will receive $250,000; Quicksilver Contracting, Bend, Ore., will receive $250,000; Renewable Fiber Inc., Ft. Lupton, Colo., will receive $250,000; Sandford Logging Inc., Spearfish, S.D., will receive $250,000; UpStream 21 Crop., Portland, Ore., will receive $250,000; Watershed Research and Training Center, Hayfork, Calif., will receive $245,000; Winner’s Circle Soil Products, Taylor, Ariz., will receive $250,000.