Two Utah lumber companies receive over $800,000 in federal funding
Jun 3, 2024, 1:00 PM | Updated: 7:19 pm
Two Utah lumber companies received funding from the U.S. Forest Service to go toward the Wood Innovations Program. (Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands)
(Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands)
SALT LAKE CITY — Two Utah lumber companies received funding from the U.S. Forest Service to go toward the Wood Innovations Program.
According to a Utah Department of Natural Resources press release, Blazzard Lumber Co. Inc. and Thompson Sawmill, Summit County received over $800,000 combined.
Blazzard received $203,565 and Thompson Sawmill received $619, 239.
“I’m thrilled that the Forest Service is again investing in two of Utah’s forest product businesses,” Bergen Eskildsen, forest products and businesses program coordinator for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands said in the press release. “These grant funds will help increase their production while supporting sustainable forest management and healthy forests.”
Blazzard will use its funds to purchase a firewood processor and a package saw, according to the DNR. The tools will allow the company to utilize more parts of the logs it works with.
Thompson Sawmill’s funds will go toward purchasing a horizontal grinder. It is meant to produce products such as woodchips, wood pellet material, animal bedding, and nursery material.
According to the press release, both Utah lumber companies use dead trees in their products. This helps restore the forest’s health and decrease fire risk.
The DNR said this funding is part of a larger $73.9 million investment. The Inflation Reduction Act, which is part of the Investing in America agenda, is funding the investment. It is meant to “create new markets for wood products and increase the capacity of wood processing facilities.”
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