The wood products infrastructure assistance program supports facilities that purchase timber and forest byproducts primarily from united states federal or tribal forests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 1 (Northern Region), awarded California Hotwood, Inc. a $129,400 Project Grant on August 25, 2025, under the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act Financial Assistance to Facilities that Purchase and Process Byproducts for Ecosystem Restoration program (CFDA 10.725). The award supports wood products infrastructure improvements at the awardee's facility in Montana, with completion scheduled for June 30, 2027. The funding is designated for equipment purchases and processing system upgrades that will enable the facility to process timber and forest byproducts sourced from federal and tribal lands in areas prioritized for ecological restoration due to wildfire, insect, or disease risk.

Through this award, California Hotwood, Inc. will enhance its wood processing capacity to utilize byproducts from ecosystem restoration projects, thereby supporting active forest management, reducing vegetation removal costs on public lands, and stimulating rural economic development. The investment in wood processing equipment and system upgrades aligns with the program's objective to create viable commercial markets for restoration byproducts while contributing to job creation and retention in rural Montana communities.

This includes applications to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve facilities that purchase and process byproducts from ecosystem restoration projects from federal or tribal lands in areas at risk of unnaturally severe wildfire or insect and disease. The emphasis is on areas of severe high fire or insect or disease infestation with high or very high priority for restoration. Activities to be funded include, but are not limited to, costs associated with the purchase and installation of wood processing equipment and wood processing system upgrades at wood products manufacturing facilities. The program stimulates rural economies, supports active forest management and creates and retains rural jobs.