In the News

On March 7, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D–Mich.) and Rep. Suzan DelBene (D–Wash.–1) both introduced the Timber Innovation Act, advocating for tall wood building construction—structures built with mass timber at a minimum of 85 feet tall—to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives after a similar bills expired in 2016. The bill outlines the various steps that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) propose, which includes: conducting research on innovative wood products; collaborating with the wood-products industry to create clear goals; establishing grants for higher education institutions, individuals, and local and state entities for wood products research; and facilitating a Tall Wood Building Prize competition over the next five years.

“Building construction using wood and mass timber products directly supports jobs in areas of rural America that have yet to recover from the recession and would lessen our dependence on fossil-fuel intensive alternatives,” said American Wood Council president and CEO Robert Glowinski in a press release. “Having the federal government encourage further development of this emerging construction technology stands to benefit and enhance both infrastructure development and putting people to work.”

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