Gluesenkamp Perez joins bipartisan lawmakers to propose forest funding bill

Last week, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania County, joined her House colleagues Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Central Washington, and Chellie Pingree, a Democrat from Maine, in introducing the Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act.

The bipartisan bill seeks to strengthen the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Grant Program (CWEWIP) of the United States Forest Services (USFS). The bill would also increase the federal share of project costs for the Wood Innovations Grant Program, another USFS program. U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinsstein, a Democrat from California, and Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, plan to introduce the bill in the Senate.

“Forestry is the backbone of Southwest Washington. Having strong markets for wood products are essential to the industry’s success and Southwest Washington’s success,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “This bipartisan bill will help rebuild jobs in the woods and keep our forests healthy while supporting timber communities.”

The CWEWIP provides funding for grants to install thermally led community wood energy systems or to build innovative wood product manufacturing facilities. The program is currently oversubscribed, making it difficult for small and rural communities to get access to federal funding to build markets and products for forest products.

Among the items in the Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act are increases to the CWEWIP and a lowering of the minimum non-federal cost-share of Woods Innovations Grant Program projects from 50% to 33.3%.

“The forest products industry is crucial to the economy of Central Washington and delivers essential products to the entire country,” Newhouse said. “I am proud to support this legislation that will strengthen the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Grant Program, help create jobs in the forest products industry, and maintain the health of our forests.”

Pingree said federal forest grant programs are an essential part of Maine’s robust forestry industry as they help create quality jobs, strengthen rural economies and support new forest products markets.

“To meet the changing needs of the industry and to support the forest products sector as part of the climate solution, these programs need to be updated,” said Pingree, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment. “Our bicameral Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act would make investments to support renewable wood energy projects and create new market opportunities to support Maine’s important heritage industry well into the future.”