The U.S. Forest Service on Sept. 16 awarded $23 million to 35 grant recipients to support the removal and transport of approximately 1.1 million tons of low-value woody biomass from national forests to processing facilities. A portion of that material is expected to be used to produce energy and wood pellets.&nbsp;The grants, delivered through the agency’s Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Program, will fund 65 projects across the lower 48 states. The program is designed to help businesses, nonprofits, and state, local, and tribal governments make use of trees, downed vegetation, and other hazardous fuels that would otherwise go to waste or fuel catastrophic wildfires. The trees and woody debris, often too low in value to cover transportation costs, are transformed from a wildfire hazard to valuable products and a source of energy.“These grants demonstrate USDA's commitment to active forest management. By removing and hauling these materials, we not only reduce the risk of wildfire but also create opportunities for businesses and workers in the forest products industry,"&nbsp;said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “Investments like this help remove barriers and boost timber production while fulfilling our commitment to protect communities and enhance the health and resilience of our forests."Awards include:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li>$906,656 to Sum Mountain Lumber to support the removal of an estimated 59,600 &nbsp;tons of wood biomass material from several national forests in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. A portion of that biomass is expected to be used to produce biomass power.&nbsp;</li><li>$65,500 to Entermountain Enterprises to support a project in Colorado’s Rio Grande National Forest to remove an estimated 3,354 tons of biomass material. A portion of that biomass is expected to be manufactured into fuelwood.</li><li>$568,800 to the National Forest Foundation to support two projects located in areas of Colorado and Wyoming to remove an estimated 38,040 tons of material. A portion of the biomass is expected to be used to produce biomass power and fuelwood.&nbsp;</li><li>$143,500 to Sun Mountain Lumber to support a project to remove 7,000 tons of material from the Big Horn National Forest in Wyoming. Some of that material is expected to be used to produce fuelwood.&nbsp;</li><li>$84,536 to Chicanos Por La Causa New Mexico to support the hauling of decked fuelwood logs from the Carbon National Forest in New Mexico. An estimated 3,000 tons will be manufactured into firewood and hauled to communities and households that are unable to procure firewood on their own.</li><li>$1.11 million to Joe Dirt Excavating Inc. to support two projects on the Kaibab National Forest in Arizona that are expected to transport 44,040 tons of biomass to a wood energy power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$653,080 to the National Forest Foundation to transport 21,000 tons of biomass from the Coconino National Forest in Arizona to a biomass power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$186,068 to Last Chance Lumber to support the transport of 4,160 tons from the Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah. A portion of the biomass is expected to be used to produce wood chips and wood pellets.&nbsp;</li><li>$451,667 to Upper Valley Contracting LLC to haul an estimated 9,000 tons of material from the Boise National Forest in Idaho for use in the production of firewood and other forest products.&nbsp;</li><li>$1.17 million to BurnBot to support the transport of approximately 32,950 tons of biomass material from the Stanislaus National Forst in California to wood biomass energy facilities.&nbsp;</li><li>$87,987 to the County of Placer, California, to support the transport of 2,520 tons of biomass from the Tahoe National Forest in California to biomass energy facilities.&nbsp;</li><li>$480,000 to Crook Logging Inc. to support the transport of 54,000 tons of sawlogs and biomass from the Stanislaus National Forest in California. A portion of the biomass will be transported to biomass power plants.&nbsp;</li><li>$582,225 to Cross Check Services LLC to support two projects in California that will transport an estimated 34,500 tons of low-value logs to a biomass power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$1.97 million to Franklin Loggings Inc. to support vice projects in California to transport 59,046 tons of sawlogs and biomass. The biomass will be used to biomass power generation.&nbsp;</li><li>$228,909 to Honey Lake Power to transport 4,800 tons of biomass from the Lassen National Forest in California to a biomass power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$850,000 to the National Forest Foundation to support the transport of 11,026 tons of biomass from the Tahoe National Forest in California to a biomass power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$521,625 to Pacific Ultrapower Chinese Station to support the transport of 15,000 tons of biomass from the Stanislaus National Forest in California to a power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$225000 to the Pit Resource Conservation District to support the transport of 5,000 tons of biomass from the Modoc National Forest in California to a biomass power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$362,505 to Tuolumne Biomass LLC to support the transport of 28,000 tons of biomass from the Stanislaus National Forest in California to a biomass power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$415,179 to the Yosemite/Sequoia RCDC to support the transport of 4,400 tons of sawlogs and biomass from the Sierra National Forest in California. The biomass will be used to produce electricity.&nbsp;</li><li>$588,648 to Gilchrist Forest Products LLC in Oregon to support the transport of 45,108 tons of mill residues to a biomass power plant.&nbsp;</li><li>$773,031 to Heartwood Biomass Inc. to support two projects to transport 54,744 tons of sawlogs and biomass from the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Oregon. A portion of the material will be used to produce firewood.&nbsp;</li><li>$410,748 to Rude Logging LLC to support the transport of 20,538 tons of biomass from the Malheur National Forest in Oregon. A portion of the material will be used to produce firewood.&nbsp;</li><li>$14,755 to Good Hope Inc. for a project on the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana to support the transport of 1,216 tons of pulpwood for wood pellet production.&nbsp;</li><li>$270,00 to Hartree Partners to support the transport of 22,500 tons of biomass from the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire to biomass power plants.&nbsp;</li></ul>A full list of awards is available on the U.S. Forest Service <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/forest-management/products/hazardous-fuels-transport-assist-grants">website</a>.

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The U.S. Forest Service on Sept. 16 awarded $23 million to support the removal and transport of 1.1 million tons of low-value woody biomass from national forests. A portion of that material is expected to be used to produce energy and wood pellets. 

US Forest Service awards support projects to transport biomass for use in pellet, power and firewood applications

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