The wood products infrastructure assistance program supports facilities that purchase timber and forest byproducts primarily from U.S. Federal or tribal forests

Franklin Logging Inc., a woman-owned small business headquartered in Redding, California, received a $907,568 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5) 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, dated August 14, 2025, with a completion deadline of August 1, 2028, funds infrastructure improvements at the Shasta Green Sawmill facility in Burney, California.

The grant specifically supports the upgrade and enhancement of the Shasta Green dry kilns through the replacement of original steam coils and end panel doors. These upgrades will increase the production efficiency and quality of the facility's wood processing operations, enabling the sawmill to more effectively process timber and forest byproducts sourced from ecosystem restoration projects on federal and tribal lands in northern California. The project aligns with the program's objective of supporting sustainable forest management and reducing vegetation removal costs on public lands by creating viable commercial markets for restoration byproducts while strengthening rural economic development in high-priority wildfire and insect/disease risk areas.

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. This project increases the production, efficiency, and quality of the shasta green dry kilns by upgrading and replacing original steam coils and end panel doors.