U.S. Forest Service Requests Proposals for Woody Biomass Utilization Grants

On September 18, 2007, the U.S. Forest Service announced a request for grant proposals for projects relating to the utilization of woody biomass from National Forest System Lands. The Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Program was established as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to aid in forest restoration activities by using and creating markets for small-diameter material and low-value trees removed as part of restoration operations, including hazardous fuels reduction treatments and treatments to reduce insect and disease outbreaks.

Applicants must be able to provide at least a 20 percent match of the total cost and must not have received a Woody Biomass Utilization Grant within the last three years in order to be eligible. Applicants chosen to receive a grant will be notified by March 14, 2008; the maximum length of funding is three years from the date of the award. Individual grants will be between $50,000 and $250,000. At least $4 million may be available under this program, but funds are contingent upon fiscal year 2008 appropriations from Congress, which have yet to be finished.

Pre-applications must be received by November 2, 2007.
Full applications are due February 1, 2008.  
Instructions for submission of applications can be found at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu (under Woody Biomass Grants), and at http://www.grants.gov.

Federal Register Proposal Notice

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Request for Proposals for Woody Biomass Utilization Grant--Forest 

Restoration Activities on National Forest System Lands

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, 

Technology Marketing Unit, located at the Forest Products Laboratory, 

requests proposals for forest product projects that increase the use of 

woody biomass from National Forest System lands. The woody biomass 

utilization grant program is intended to help improve forest 

restoration activities by using and creating markets for small-diameter 

material and low-valued trees removed from forest restoration 

activities, such as reducing hazardous fuels, handling insect and 

diseased conditions, or treating forestlands impacted by catastrophic 

weather events. These funds are targeted to help communities, 

entrepreneurs, and others turn residues from forest restoration 

activities into marketable forest products and/or energy products.

DATES: Pre-application Deadline: Close of business November 2, 2007.

    Full application Deadline: Close of business February 1, 2008.

ADDRESSES: All pre- and full-application packages must be sent to the 

following address: ATTN: Patricia Brumm, Grants and Agreements 

Specialist, Forest Products Laboratory, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, 

Madison, WI 53726-2398. Detailed information regarding what to include 

in the pre- and full-application, definitions of terms, eligibility and 

federal restrictions are available at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu (under 

Woody Biomass Grants), and at http://www.grants.gov. Paper 

copies of the information are also available by contacting the USDA 

Forest Service, S&PF Technology Marketing Unit, One Gifford Pinchot 

Drive, Madison, WI 53726-2398.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding the grant 

application or administrative regulations, contact Patricia Brumm, 

Grants and Agreements Specialist, (608) 231-9298, pbrumm@fs.fed.us; for 

program and technical questions, contact Susan LeVan, Program Manager, 

(608) 231-9504, slevan@fs.fed.us.

Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 

may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 

Friday.