PORT ANGELES — U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer is among members of Congress who have introduced a bill to accelerate wood building construction and help rural communities affected by mill closures.
Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and three congressional colleagues introduced Wednesday bipartisan legislation that would create federal grants to encourage the use of less expensive and less carbon-intensive construction materials in tall buildings.
The Timber Innovation Act (H.R. 5628) would spur the use of highly flexible, sturdy and flame-resistant modern wood products such as cross-laminated timber in buildings over 85 feet, according to a joint news release.
“Folks in my region don’t want the top export of our rural communities to be young people,” said Kilmer, whose 6th Congressional District covers the North Olympic Peninsula.
“Now we have an opportunity to grow the timber industry in a way that doesn’t put conservation at odds with job creation.”
Kilmer authored a provision in the bill that would provide grants for retrofitting shuttered mills in rural areas affected by reduced timber harvests.
The provision could help cities such as Forks and Port Angeles, which have lost mills in recent years, according to Kilmer’s office.
Introducing the bill with Kilmer were Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Colville, and Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-Pa.
“With cross-laminated timber we can utilize an abundant and sustainable product native to Washington state that connects rural economies to greener urban growth,” Kilmer said.
“Our bipartisan bill would make it easier for construction sites across the country to use sturdy, innovative, renewable wood products grown and manufactured on the Olympic Peninsula,” Kilmer said.
The legislation would establish a research and development program and create grants advancing tall wood building construction, authorize a tall wood building competition, incentivize the retrofitting of existing buildings in high unemployment areas and authorize technical assistance and education.
Reduced timber harvests contributed to the 2014 closure of the Interfor sawmill in Beaver, Interfor planer mill in Forks, Green Creek mill in west Port Angeles and the 2015 closure of the Allen Logging Co. mill south of Forks in west Jefferson County, according to the mill owners.
Nearly 100 organizations have endorsed the bill, including American Forest Foundation, American Wood Council, The Conservation Fund, National Wildlife Federation and Weyerhaeuser, Kilmer’s office said.
A companion measure (S. 2892) has been introduced in the Senate.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
