View all text of Part B [§ 7651 - § 7657]
§ 7655b. Forestry products advanced utilization research
(a) Establishment
(b) ActivitiesThe 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
(2) PrioritiesIn 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
(4) Term
(d) Coordination
(e) ReportThe 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
(2) Matching funds
(Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, § 617, as added Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7310, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 892; amended Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7308, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4816.)