SAWMILL Act
Sponsored By: Senator Jeff Merkley
Introduced
Summary
Would create a USDA loan-guarantee program to expand rural sawmills and wood-processing capacity near federal lands needing ecological restoration. The program links guarantees to facilities within a 250-mile radius of high-priority federal units and requires agency coordination to target locations that would substantially lower restoration costs.
Show full summary
- Sawmill owners and operators: Would be eligible for loan guarantees to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve sawmills and other wood-processing facilities in rural areas within a 250-mile radius of identified federal lands.
- Federal land managers and restoration projects: Guarantees are available only where the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, determines a nearby facility would substantially decrease vegetation removal costs.
- USDA and Interior coordination: The Secretary would review Federal land within 1 year and at least every 5 years to identify units that are high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal.
*Would authorize up to $220.0 million in loan guarantees for the program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Loan guarantees for rural sawmills
If enacted, the bill would create a Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program at USDA. The program would offer loan guarantees to help establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve sawmills and other wood-processing facilities in rural areas. To be eligible, a facility must be in a rural area and within 250 miles of Federal land the Agriculture and Interior Secretaries identify as high or very high priority for vegetation-removal restoration. The Secretary must identify eligible Federal land within 1 year and update that list at least every 5 years. The Secretary would also have to find that a nearby facility would substantially lower restoration costs. The program could guarantee loans totaling up to $220 million and would include any conditions the Secretary requires.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jeff Merkley
OR • D
Cosponsors
Tim Sheehy
MT • R
Sponsored 7/9/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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