Two members of the US Congress – Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington in the Pacific Northwest, and Teri Sewell, a Democrat from Alabama, introduced a new bipartisan bill into the House of Representatives, giving the US lumber industry the ability to retool and reduce wildfire risk.
The bill, the Supporting American Wood and Mill Infrastructure with Loans for Longevity (SAWMILL) Act, was also introduced in the US Senate by Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, and Tim Sheehy, a Republican from Montana, and aims to unlock federal dollars to support retooling and modernising their infrastructure. It will also allow them to process hazardous fuels off public lands.
“Washington State’s timber industry supplies our region with good‑paying jobs, helps reduce the risk of wildfires, and is a tool in responsibly managing our forests,” Newhouse said. “The SAWMILL Act gives timber mills the ability to grow their operations and support rural communities who stand to benefit even more from a strong, local timber industry.”
Sewell said Alabama’s rural landowners often struggle to access sawmills and processing infrastructure, limiting property values and conservation efforts. “I am proud to join Rep. Newhouse in introducing the SAWMILL Act, which will bring critical infrastructure to rural communities, expand access to new markets for landowners, and encourage conservation of the environment,” she said.
The SAWMILL Act would permanently authorise the TPEP program.
The new legislation permanently authorises the US Department of Agriculture’s Timber Production Expansion Loan Guarantee Program (TPEP). Wood Central understands that the program offers low-interest, long-term loans to timber and wood processing companies for investing in their facilities and equipment, primarily to support timber mills that process hazardous fuels, and has the backing of the American Wood Council, American Forests, and The Lumber Manufactory (TLM).
“Our nation’s sawmills and wood processing facilities directly employ nearly half a million Americans, with individual mills serving as economic drivers in their communities,” said Jackson Morrill, President and CEO of the American Wood Council. “When a mill closes, the whole community suffers, and some unfortunately never recover.”
Meanwhile, Rebecca Turner, the Chief Policy and Partnerships Officer at American Forests, called the bill “a win‑win‑win — saving taxpayer dollars, promoting healthy forests, and helping rural communities thrive.” Whilst Michael Grasso, the CEO of TLM, said the legislation is “a vital tool to revitalise our country’s sawmill and wood processing infrastructure, while also supporting healthy forest management, wildfire mitigation, and stimulating economic opportunity.” Before adding that the new Act aligns with the objectives outlined in the Trump Executive Order for Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production earlier this year.
- For more information about the future of the US timber supply, click here for Wood Central’s special feature last month.
