The new infrastructure bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, designates $400 million in new financial assistance for sawmills and wood processing facilities, the Hardwood Federation reported.
The new provisions, signed Nov. 15, also specify that “close proximity” to a sawmill will be a factor for agencies to consider when funding federal land restoration.
“One of the ongoing challenges to making thinning projects economical is access to processing facilities,” the Hardwood Federation said in a statement. “Existing wood processing infrastructure is not in close proximity to many federal forests that desperately need active management.”
The bill also provides $2.1 billion in assistance to help manufacturers improve energy, water and material efficiency.
Provisions also include promoting workforce development in the transportation sector that will impact the hardwood industry.
A breakdown of the bill as it relates to the hardwood industry can be found in the Hardwood Federation newsletter here.
