Grainnet

USDA Agriculture Secretary Schafer Awards More Than $4.1 Million for Woody Biomass Development for Cellulosic Ethanol Production

Washington, DC—Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced the award of $4.1 million to help 17 small businesses and community groups find more innovative uses of woody biomass from national forests in new products and renewable energy.

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," said Schafer.

USDA's Forest Service selected 17 small businesses and community groups for grants ranging from $170,000 to $250,000.

The recipients must provide at least 20 percent of the total project cost, while a total of $6 million in non-federal matching funds range from $65,590 to more than $1.3 million per project.

The Forest Service's State and Private Forestry, Technology Marketing Unit, at the agency's Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, WI will administer the grant program.

Recipients were among 92 applicants requesting more than $20 million in funding support:

2008 Woody Biomass Utilization Grantees

COMPANY NAME ... LOCATION ... GRANT AMOUNT

• Bear Mountain Forest Products ... Portland, OR ... $250,000

• Big Sky Shavings ... Hall, MT ... $250,000

• Coquille Tribe of Oregon ... North Bend, OR ... $250,000

• Diamond Ridge Lumber ... Caldwell, ID ... $168,200

• K & B Timberworks, Inc. ... Reserve, NM ... $250,000

• Kootenai Business Park Industrial District ... Libby, MT ... $250,000

• Marks Ranch and Lumber ... Clancy, MT ... $211,500

• Nevada Division of Forestry ... Carson City, NV ... $250,000

• Northridge Forest Products ... Mora, NM ... $250,000

• Osler Logging, Inc. ... Bozeman, MT ... $250,000.

For more information, call Donna Drelick at 202-205-0914.