The USDA Forest Service is announcing the availability of $23.3 million to provide financial assistance to facilities that purchase and process byproducts from ecosystem restoration projects in areas at risk of unnaturally severe wildfire or insect or disease infestation through funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The intent is to substantially decrease the cost of conducting restoration projects involving vegetation removal on federal and Tribal lands and invest in surrounding communities. These ecosystem restoration byproducts could include trees and woody biomass harvested through timber sales, thinning, hazardous fuels reduction treatments, or other restoration management activities.

Funding priority will be to provide financial assistance to an entity seeking to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility that will utilize the byproducts from projects on federal land, Tribal forestland, and Tribal rangeland that have been identified as at risk for fire, insect, or disease and a high priority for ecological restoration. To be eligible for funding, the project facility must be in close proximity to federal or Tribal lands and procure high percentages (approximately 50% or greater) of raw materials from federal or Tribal lands. Successful applicants will address how financial support will enable increased utilization of byproducts from ecosystem restoration projects on federal or Tribal lands that are in close proximity to a wood products processing facility and how this assistance will help reduce restoration costs.

The grants and agreements awarded under this announcement will support the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Pub. L. 117-58 (11/15/2021), Sec. 40804(b)3.