File Code: | 3100 | Date: | October 26, 2007
Route To: | (2400), (3000)
Subject: | Woody Biomass Utilization Grants
To: | Regional Foresters, Station Directors, Area Director, IITF Director, Deputy Chiefs and WO Directors

In a Federal Register notice published September 18, 2007, the State and Private Forestry Technology Marketing Unit requested proposals for woody biomass utilization (WBU) grants for forest restoration activities on National Forest System (NFS) lands that would increase the use of woody biomass.  The WBU 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.  A Forest Service letter of support is required to accompany a grant proposal for a woody biomass project on NFS lands.
The goals of the grant program are the following:
•	Help reduce forest management costs by increasing value of biomass and other forest products generated from forest restoration activities;
•	Create incentives and/or reduce business risk for increased use of biomass from national forest lands (must include NFS lands; however, may also include other lands, such as BLM, Tribal, State, local, and private;
•	Institute projects that target and help remove economic and market barriers to using small-diameter trees and woody biomass;
•	Help generate renewable energy from woody biomass; and
•	Build industry infrastructure around national forest lands where no or limited industry infrastructure exists.

The grants help to generate new ideas, processes, and equipment through our partners’ working with the Forest Service.  Please inform your potential WBU grantees about this opportunity through the website at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu or write Patricia Brumm, Grants and Agreements Specialist, Forest Products Laboratory at One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726-2398.  You may also contact Patricia at 608-231-9298 or pbrumm@fs.fed.us.

/s/ Jimmy L. Reaves for
ABIGAIL R. KIMBELL
Chief

cc:  Edmund A Gee