Department of Agriculture February 19, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State and Private Forestry (S&PF), Technology Marketing Unit, located at the Forest Products Laboratory, requests proposals for wood energy projects that require engineering services. These projects will use woody biomass, such as material removed from forest restoration activities, wildfire hazardous fuel treatments, insect and disease mitigation, forest management due to catastrophic weather events, and/or thinning overstocked stands. The woody biomass shall be used in a bioenergy facility that uses commercially proven technologies to produce thermal, electrical or liquid/gaseous bioenergy. The funds from the Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization Grant program (WBU) must be used to further the planning of such facilities by funding the engineering services necessary for final design and cost analysis. Examples of projects might include engineering design of a woody biomass boiler for steam at a sawmill, hospital or school; non-pressurized hot water system for various applications; and biomass power generation facility. To join in support of the public interest and general welfare, to protect communities and critical infrastructure, the applicants applying to this program seek assistance to complete the necessary engineering design work required to secure public and/or private funding for construction for developing local enterprises to better utilize woody biomass. An example of public funding is the USDA Rural Development grants and loan programs that might help fund construction of such facilities. The lack of a professional engineering design often limits the ability of an applicant or business to secure Federal, State or private funding.