7 U.S.C. § 7655b: Forestry products advanced…

Summary

The Secretary must set up a forestry and wood-products research and extension program to make and share science-based tools for the forestry sector, timberland owners and managers, and wood products makers. The program will fund research to improve lumber quality and yield, develop new engineered wood products and wood-based energy, help timberland last longer and be more profitable, show wood’s benefits as a green building material (including life cycle studies), and improve standards, on-forest management, conversion, and manufacturing efficiency. The Secretary must give competitive grants for these activities and favor projects that work across states and institutions, share results with producers and the public, and have strong research experience, capacity, and industry ties. Grants must follow the requirements in paragraphs (4), (7), (8), and (11)(B) of subsection (b) of section 3157, and may not run more than 10 years. Work must be coordinated with the Forest Service (including the Forest Products Laboratory) and other Department agencies. The Secretary must send an annual report to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees about the green-building research, the number of Forest Service buildings that use wood as the main structure, and Forest Service investments in green building and wood promotion. Up to $7,000,000 is authorized each year for fiscal years 2014 through 2023, to be matched with funds under section 1646 of title 16 when possible.

Title 7, §7655b

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a forestry and forestry products research and extension initiative to develop and disseminate science-based tools that address the needs of the forestry sector and their respective regions, forest and timberland owners and managers, and forestry products engineering, manufacturing, and related interests.

(b)Activities

The initiative described in subsection (a) shall include the following activities:

(1)Research conducted for purposes of—

(A)wood quality improvement with respect to lumber strength and grade yield;

(B)the development of novel engineered lumber products and renewable energy from wood; and

(C)enhancing the longevity, sustainability, and profitability of timberland through sound management and utilization.

(2)Demonstration activities and technology transfer to demonstrate the beneficial characteristics of wood as a green building material, including investments in life cycle assessment for wood products.

(3)Projects designed to improve—

(A)forestry products, lumber, and evaluation standards and valuation techniques;

(B)lumber quality and value-based, on-forest management techniques; and

(C)forestry products conversion and manufacturing efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including forestry product marketing).

(c)Grants

(1)In general

The Secretary shall make competitive grants to carry out the activities described in subsection (b).

(2)Priorities

In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall give higher priority to activities that are carried out by entities that—

(A)are multistate, multiinstitutional, or multidisciplinary;

(B)have explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers, forestry industry stakeholders, policymakers, and the public; and

(C)have—

(i)extensive history and demonstrated experience in forestry and forestry products research;

(ii)existing capacity in forestry products research and dissemination; and

(iii)a demonstrated means of evaluating and responding to the needs of the related commercial sector.

(3)Administration

In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall follow the requirements of paragraphs (4), (7), (8), and (11)(B) of subsection (b) of section 3157 of this title.

(4)Term

The term of a grant made under this section may not exceed 10 years.

(d)Coordination

The Secretary shall ensure that any activities carried out under this section are carried out in coordination with the Forest Service, including the Forest Products Laboratory, and other appropriate agencies of the Department.

(e)Report

The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate describing, for the period covered by the report—

(1)the research that has been conducted under paragraph (2) of subsection (b);

(2)the number of buildings the Forest Service has built with wood as the primary structural material; and

(3)the investments made by the Forest Service in green building and wood promotion.

(f)Authorization of appropriations

(1)In general

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

(2)Matching funds

To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall match any funds made available under paragraph (1) with funds made available under section 1646 of title 16.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 617 of Pub. L. 105–185, title VI,

June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 607, which was not classified to the Code, was repealed by Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7302,

May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 455.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 115–334 substituted “2023” for “2018”.

§7655b Forestry Products Advanced Utilization Research