Wood Education & Resource Center Update Ed Cesa NAASF Forest Utilization Committee Meeting Syracuse, NY June 6, 2017

Wood Innovations Funding WERC Update: Staff Physical Facilities Wood Innovations Funding Webcasts

WERC Staff Lew McCreery, Acting Director & Biomass Coordinator Al Steele, half time with WERC Ed Cesa, Deputy Director & Grants Coordinator Debbie Hawkins, Office Manager Nathan Delimont, Maintenance/Physical Facility Manager WERC Director position is currently vacant

Wood Education and Resource Center Main (left) Training Annex (center) Rough Mill (right)

WERC Physical Facilities October 2016 – six Northern Research Station employees moved into WERC administrative building Two Natural Resources Conservation Service employees may move into WERC Rough Mill - available for leasing - excessed older, out-of-date equipment thru Government Services Administration (GSA) auctions

Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity WERC manages the following activities for the Wood Innovation Funding Opportunity: - website content and information - manage technical evaluation process - electronic synopses of funded projects Work closely with Washington Office and Regional Coordinators

Click here -> http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/

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Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity Goals of the Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity are: Reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health on National Forest System and other forest lands Reduce costs of forest management on all land types Promote economic and environmental health of communities

Fire Direction Thinned Homes Julie Tucker, National Lead for Renewable Wood Energy U.S. Forest Service

Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity Funding is awarded in two categories: Grant Category 1: Expansion of Wood Energy Markets and Wood Energy Products: - Stimulate, expand, or support wood energy markets that depend on forest residues or forest byproducts. - Complete key requirements (engineering designs, cost analyses, & permitting) necessary in the later stages of wood energy project development to secure funding. Grant Category 2: Expansion of Wood Products Markets: - Promote markets that create or expand the demand for non-energy based wood.

Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity FY2017 Process - 114 proposals received - 38 proposals funded - $8.3 million FS funds, $37 million match - 26 wood products markets related * 13 related to CLT-mass timber - 12 wood energy related * Evaluation Process – includes representation from the three state foresters’ “regional utilization committees”

Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity Web site demonstration http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/

WERC Webcasts Webcasts - State Wood Energy Teams Webcast January & July, 4th Wednesday - Urban Wood Utilization Webcast April & October, 2nd Tuesday - Will be initiating State Wood Innovation Teams webcasts in June or July

Questions ecesa@fs.fed.us 304-285-1530 www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/