Tom Vilsack Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has announced a $25 million funding opportunity through the hazardous fuels transportation assistance program. The initiative aims to reduce wildfire risk, expand market opportunities, and support local employment. This program targets local businesses and partners engaged in removing hazardous fuels from national forests and transporting the material for processing into wood products or services.
"The timber and wood products industries help support healthy and sustainable forests," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Thanks to historic funding from the Biden-Harris Administration, this funding opportunity empowers local communities to create and support jobs while helping the USDA Forest Service implement sustainable forest management practices that reduce wildfire risk and support the Wildfire Crisis Strategy."
Removing hazardous fuels from forests can mitigate wildfire risks, protect watersheds, and enhance forest health and resilience. These materials, often woody with little commercial value, pose significant transportation costs. Without assistance, they are frequently burned in place or left unremoved, increasing risks of insects, disease, and wildfires that threaten ecosystems, communities, and critical infrastructure.
Funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, these grants support wood utilization facilities nationwide along with rural economies reliant on them. In 2023 alone, these grants facilitated the removal of nearly 59,000 tons of hazardous fuels from nine national forests to facilities producing peeled poles, firewood, and animal bedding.
Applications for this grant will be accepted for 30 days. Public information sessions will be held later to assist organizations with their applications and answer questions. Project selections will be announced later this year. For more details, visit the Forest Service website.
USDA impacts American lives daily in numerous positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a focus on resilient local and regional food production; fairer markets for all producers; ensuring access to safe, healthy food; building new income streams for farmers using climate-smart practices; investing in rural infrastructure and clean energy; and committing to equity by removing systemic barriers within the Department. More information is available at www.usda.gov.
