Eagle Valley Clean Energy to receive $300,000 in IRA funds from U.S. Forest Service wood grants

The U.S. Forest Service recently issued the following press release on investing more than $43 million nationwide in the 2023 Wood Innovations Grant and 2023 Community Wood Grant programs, including nearly $2.6 million in the Rocky Mountain Region. Eagle Valley Clean Energy, LLC will receive $300,000:

The U. S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that the Forest Service will invest more than $43 million in the 2023 Wood Innovations Grant and 2023 Community Wood Grant programs. The Rocky Mountain Region will receive a total of $2,597,500.

The funds were made available by the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. They enable the Forest Service and grant awardees to expand the use of wood products and strengthen wood energy markets that support sustainable forest management, especially in areas of high wildfire risk.

“Healthy forests depend on a healthy forest products economy, and these investments within the Rocky Mountain Region support local economies. In addition, they will help improve forest health while lowering wildfire risks to communities,” said Regional Forester Frank Beum.

The Wood Innovations Grant Program, officially named the Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity Program, is investing in proposals that expand traditional wood utilization projects, promote using wood as a construction material, and expand wood energy markets. Below are the proposals within the Rocky Mountain Region that are funded through the Wood Innovations Grants Program:

Colorado

• Mountain Pine Manufacturing Wood Strand Waste-Wood System Grant – $160,000
• Rocky Mountain Timber Rocky Mountain Timber Products Sawmill Optimization and Expansion – $212,500
• Gates Family Foundation Colorado Mass Timber Coalition – $300,000
• Colorado Timber Resources Colorado Timber Resources LLC Sawmill Expansion – $175,000
• Cetna Energy LLC Cetna Energy Walsenburg, CO, Cottage Grove, OR Biomass to Energy Project -$300,000
• United States Endowment for Forestry and Communities Embodied Carbon and Displacement Factor Tools – $300,000
• PHX LLC Sustainable Southwest Colorado Woody Biomass Management – $200,000
• Eagle Valley Clean Energy, LLC Eagle Valley Clean Energy, LLC – $300,000
• Juno Residential Circular Mass Timber Components – $200,000

Nebraska

• National Arbor Day Foundation National Arbor Day Foundation Headquarters – $200,000

Wyoming

• Bearlodge Forest Products Inc., Bearlodge Forest Products Mill Upgrades benefit forest health on Forest Service and adjacent lands – $250,000

Community Wood Grants, officially titled the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program, award funding to shovel-ready projects designed to install a community wood energy system or build an innovative wood product facility. Healthy forests depend on a healthy forest products economy, and these projects directly support forest health and stimulate local economies by expanding renewable wood energy and innovative wood products manufacturing capacity. None of the 2023 projects are located within the Rocky Mountain Region.

For additional information, please visit the 2023 Funded Projects Webpage and the Wood Innovations Webpage.