This project will be implemented as a no-cost rental program that allows multiple landowner use

Federal Project Grant Summary

Ouzinkie Native Corporation received a $490,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Region 10 (Alaska Region) under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Temporary Bridge Program (CFDA 10.721), awarded on August 21, 2025, with a completion date of December 31, 2027. The project establishes a no-cost rental program for portable skidder bridges and temporary water crossing structures available to multiple landowners across Alaska. This infrastructure supports ongoing forestry and natural resource management activities while minimizing stream bed disturbance and protecting stream-side habitats from water quality degradation associated with forest roads and stream bank erosion.

The grant funding enables the acquisition, deployment, and maintenance of modernized crossing structures that facilitate environmentally responsible timber production and forest management operations on both federal and non-federal lands. By providing no-cost rental access to temporary crossing infrastructure, the program reduces operational barriers and downtime for timber producers and forest managers while advancing rural economic development and environmental protection objectives in Alaska.

This will support ongoing forestry activities, while the modernized crossing structures will protect streams and stream side habitats against water quality issues associated with forest roads and stream bank erosion.