Forest Service Grants Boost Innovative Wood Construction in Utah
Projects call for innovation in wood utilization
Across the globe, wood is experiencing a renaissance. Architects and engineers are designing bold, beautiful, environmentally-conscious wood constructions. Utah is right in the game, too. Two Utah based entities received Wood Innovations grants from the Forest Service to assist in expanding the use of wood in construction. Sunroc Building Materials and the Utah Biomass Resources Group both received grants that required each to match a portion of the project’s cost.
Sunroc Building Materials in Lindon, Utah received a $250,000 grant to jumpstart their Prefab Wood Initiative. The initiative centers on designing and developing a manufacturing line for pre-fabricated wood wall and floor panels for modular construction of single and multi-family homes. Sunroc is partnered with Irontown Homes and the University of Utah. Irontown Homes will use Sunroc’s prefabricated component package of wood wall and floor panels in their modular commercial building program. The University of Utah will work with architects and engineers in intermountain region to educate them on this regionally available wood building product and design option for an expanding construction market. Since receiving the grant this past summer, Sunroc has completed development of their pre-fabrication production line, based in Lindon, and has finished construction of several modular homes in the area.
The Utah Biomass Resources Group at USU was awarded a $161,960 Wood Innovations grant which is funding the design process for the first-of-its kind cross-laminated timber building in Utah to be constructed at the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville. The Utah Biomass Resources Group is partnered with Euclid Timber Frames, USU, USFS and regional architects on this project to demonstrate and educate on the potential and promise of building with cross-laminated timber in Utah. Cross-laminated timber is gaining global popularity, piquing the interest of architects, builders, consumers and foresters as a sustainable, low-carbon building material that can be manufactured from sub-standard lumber products, improve the efficiency of buildings, and reduce construction costs and duration.
The Forest Service recognizes the value of forest products from national, state, private and tribal forest lands year-round, but especially during National Forest Products Week, October 16-22, 2016.
The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests.
Sidebar:
USFS Seeking Proposals for Wood Innovations Grants
The Forest Service is seeking grant proposals for Wood Innovations grants for 2017. Grant application details are posted on the web at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/.
Grant proposals should focus on projects that significantly stimulate or expand wood products and wood energy markets that support long-term management of public or private forests.
“The Forest Service invests in these grant programs because we know that in order to sustainably manage our forests for multiple use, we need a strong integrated infrastructure of forest product users, manufacturers, harvesters and foresters,” said Julie Kies, Wood and Biomass Utilization Coordinator for the Northern and Intermountain Regions. “By using wood from our national forests as a responsibly-sourced, renewable bio-based product for everything from building to energizing our homes and communities, we promote healthier forests for future generations in a socially, economically and environmentally sound manner.”
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
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Night @ the ASOM
Friday 21 October 2016
5:30 to 8:30 pm
The Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation in partnership with Fayetteville Christian Church will host the 3rd annual Night@the ASOM.
This is a family friendly FREE event.
When the doors open kids of all ages will see giant inflatables including a moon walk and slide plus nearly a dozen game booths, each with free prizes for all children. There will be booths for Go Fish, bean bag toss, Ring the Pumpkin and many more. All children are encouraged to wear a costume and compete for additional prizes.
Throughout the evening spooky stories will be told. But perhaps the most fun event will be the flashlight guided tours of the main gallery. Special guides will accompany small groups through the museum, only the light from a flashlight and wrist glow-bands for each participant will show the way.
Support the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation
The sole mission of the ASOM Foundation is to support the United States Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum located in historic downtown Fayetteville, NC.
Please consider donating to the foundation at
Donate Now! on our website.
Mexican Congress Recognizes O.U.R.'s Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts
Operation Underground Railroad to be featured in new film "The Sound of Freedom" by Eduardo Verastegui
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Last week, Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) was presented with an award on behalf of the government of Mexico at their international anti-human trafficking event in Mexico City. O.U.R.'s Founder and CEO Tim Ballard and other O.U.R. rescue jump team members were declared "Federal Diplomats of Mexico." On Thursday October 20th, O.U.R.'s Mexico Ambassador and celebrity, Eduardo Verastegui, will be announcing a new film he is producing about Ballard and O.U.R. called "The Sound of Freedom". The film covers a recent O.U.R. operation and will feature a character based off of Utah's Attorney General Sean Reyes, who participated in a rescue operation.
"I continue to be impressed with the commitment of the Mexican federal police and attorney general's office to the fight against child exploitation and child sex trafficking. In the midst of a difficult fight against transnational criminal organizations and drug traffickers, our Mexican federal partners have shown a sincere desire to do what they can to save exploited children in their country and arrest those who would do them harm, ” said Founder and CEO of Operation Underground Railroad Tim Ballard.
Since early 2015, O.U.R. has assisted Mexico on three rescue operations in major American and western tourist destinations. O.U.R., in partnership with Mexican federal authorities, has rescued 42 trafficking victims and arrested 17 traffickers. Operation Underground Railroad remains in close contact with Mexican authorities to support prosecution of trafficking suspects and funds the rehabilitation of trafficking victims.
About Operation Underground Railroad: O.U.R. is a non-profit organization that rescues children from slavery. O.U.R. rescue teams are comprised of highly skilled ex-Navy SEALs, Special Forces, CIA and other operatives. O.U.R.'s work has gained international media coverage on CBS Evening News, ABC Nightly News, Fox News Sunday, PBS Religion and Ethics, The Washington Post, and The Blaze among others.
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For more information or to schedule an interview with Tim Ballard, Attorney General Sean Reyes or Eduardo Verastegui, please contact Brielle at brielle@javelindc.com or 201-693-5378.
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Obamacare is on the verge of collapse. While that should prompt calls for full repeal, many in Washington are instead contemplating how the law can be saved.
When Congress reconvenes for a legislative session known as lame duck following the elections, Americans can expect a fight over a multi-pronged taxpayer bailout of Obamacare.
But Congress can take these 3 Steps to stop Obamacare bailouts:
1. Allow temporary programs to expire:
The first step in stopping taxpayer bailouts is for Congress to do nothing. It’s simple, allow the law’s Transitional Reinsurance and Risk Corridors programs to expire as scheduled -- at the end of 2016.
2. Reassert current law that Obama has previously signed:
The Reinsurance program, by law, requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to deposit a total of $5 billion into the U.S. Treasury by 2016.
To date, they haven’t paid the taxpayers back a single penny and instead have illegally prioritized payments to insurance companies.
Both the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Research Service have found this action a clear violation of section 1341 in the Obamacare law.
Sen. Ben Sasse (NE) and Rep. Mark Walker (NC) have introduced the Taxpayers Before Insurers Act, which would penalize HHS for illegally prioritizing payments to insurers.
3. Block illegal or backdoor payments:
HHS wants to use taxpayer dollars to cover the Risk Corridors claims and even invited the insurance companies to sue them - which the insurance companies did.
Now Congress must be on the lookout for any settlement between the Obama Administration and the insurance companies, which could be accompanied by a multi-billion payment from what’s known as the Judgement Fund.
Congress should take legislative action before the end of the year to cut off access to any funding stream.
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