,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bhib ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #bh1 #bjaf ,ms4 ,stabenow 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,crapo1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,daines1 and ,ms4 ,cantwell7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to accelerate the use of wood in buildings1 especially tall wood buildings1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,timber ,innovation ,act of #bjaf4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 wood products play a significant role in the ,united ,states economy2 7#b7 the ,united ,states wood products industry employs more than #edh1jjj individuals in manufacturing and forestry2 7#c7 private forest owners in the ,united ,states support approximately #b1djj1jjj jobs and #hg1jjj1jjj1jjj in payroll2 7#d7 support for wood buildings and growing market opportunities for the use of wood products1 such as tall wood building markets1 could-- 7,a7 help ensure that forests in the ,united ,states remain healthy2 and 7,b7 create income streams for private forest owners that may help the owners keep their land forested instead of selling the land for development2 7#e7 developing new markets for wood use in buildings may drive additional investment in hazardous fuels treatments on forest land2 7#f7 innovative wood product technologies and building systems-- 7,a7 have enabled longer wood spans1 taller walls1 and higher buildings2 and 7,b7 continue to expand the possibilities for wood use in construction2 7#g7 wood1 because it is a building material that sequesters carbon1 has the potential to reduce the overall carbon footprint of a project that uses wood as a building material2 7#h7 research helps to modernize building codes on an international basis1 and that modernization is needed in the ,united ,states for tall wood buildings2 7#i7 building codes specify a level of safety that each building material and system shall meet and that level of safety is the same regardless of the construction materials used2 7#aj7 in the case of wood1 building codes ensure that the allowable size1 configuration1 and required structural and fire protection features of a construction project allow for the safety of all occupants2 and 7#aa7 mass timber buildings1 due to the thick1 solid wood panels of which the buildings are composed1 are slow to burn and have inherent fire resistance that1 under many configurations1 establishes a fire performance equal to or better than other construction materials1 allowing mass timber to be used appropriately for buildings that are significantly taller and larger than traditional wood buildings4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,mass timber ,the term mass timber means a type of building component or system that uses large panelized wood construction1 including-- 7,a7 cross-laminated timber2 7,b7 nail laminated timber2 7,c7 glue laminated timber2 7,d7 laminated strand lumber2 and 7,e7 laminated veneer lumber4 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7#c7 ,tall wood building ,the term tall wood building means a building designed to be-- 7,a7 constructed with mass timber2 and 7,b7 more than #he feet in height4 #d4 ,establishment of research and development program for advancing tall wood building construction 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a performance-driven research and development program for the purpose of advancing tall wood building construction in the ,united ,states 7referred to in this section as the program74 7b7 ,activities ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,state and ,private ,forestry deputy area of the ,forest ,service1 shall-- 7#a7 after receipt of input and guidance from1 and collaboration with1 the wood products industry1 conservation organizations1 and institutions of higher education1 conduct research at the ,forest ,products ,laboratory that meets measurable performance goals for the achievement of the priorities described in subsection 7c72 and 7#b7 after coordination and collaboration with the wood products industry and conservation organizations1 make competitive grants to institutions of higher education to conduct research that meets measurable performance goals for the achievement of the priorities described in subsection 7c74 7c7 ,program priorities ,the research carried out under the program shall give priority to-- 7#a7 ways to improve the commercialization of tall wood building materials2 7#b7 analyzing the safety of tall wood building materials2 7#c7 calculations by the ,forest ,products ,laboratory of the life cycle environmental footprint1 from extraction of raw materials through the manufacturing process1 of tall wood building construction2 7#d7 identifying the building code modifications necessary to construct tall wood buildings2 7#e7 analyzing methods to reduce the life cycle environmental footprint of tall wood building construction2 7#f7 analyzing the potential implications of the broad adoption of tall wood building technology and architecture in the commercial and residential building market on wildlife and forest biodiversity2 and 7#g7 #a or more other research areas identified by the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,state and ,private ,forestry deputy area of the ,forest ,service1 conservation organizations1 institutions of higher education1 and the wood products industry4 7d7 ,timeframe ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the measurable performance goals for the research carried out under the program shall be achievable within a #e-year timeframe4 7e7 ,funding ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary4 #e4 ,tall wood building competition ,subject to availability of appropriations1 not less frequently than once during each fiscal year for the period of fiscal years #bjag through #bjba1 the ,secretary shall carry out a competition for a tall wood building design in accordance with section #bd of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgai74 #f4 ,wood innovation grant program 7a7 ,definition of eligible entity ,in this section1 the term eligible entity means-- 7#a7 an individual2 7#b7 a public or private entity 7including a center of excellence that consists of #a or more partnerships between forestry1 engineering1 architecture1 or business schools at #a or more institutions of higher education72 or 7#c7 a ,state1 local1 or tribal government4 7b7 ,grants authorized ,the ,secretary1 in carrying out the wood innovation grant program of the ,secretary described in the notice of the ,secretary entitled ,request for ,proposals3 #bjaf ,wood ,innovations ,funding ,opportunity 7#hj ,fed4 ,reg4 #fcdih 7,october #bj1 #bjae771 may make a wood innovation grant to #a or more eligible entities each year for the purpose of the acceleration of the adoption of emerging technologies in the development of innovative wood products for tall wood building construction4 7c7 ,matching requirement ,as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection 7b71 a recipient shall provide funds equal to the amount the recipient receives under the grant1 to be derived from non-,federal sources4 7d7 ,funding ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to award grants under subsection 7b7 such sums as are necessary4 #g4 ,technical assistance 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 in cooperation with ,state foresters and ,state extension directors 7or equivalent ,state officials71 shall carry out a program of education and technical assistance for mass timber applications 7referred to in this section as the program74 7b7 ,activities ,activities under the program shall include-- 7#a7 the provision of assistance to an individual1 a public or private entity1 or a local or tribal government in the development of skills and knowledge relating to the use of wood in mass timber applications and other wood technologies2 7#b7 the provision of assistance to an individual1 a public or private entity1 or a ,state1 local1 or tribal government in the identification of opportunities for the use of mass timber2 and 7#c7 activities to increase public understanding of-- 7,a7 the environmental1 economic1 and social values associated with using wood in the construction of buildings2 and 7,b7 the relationship between the development of markets for wood products and the ability to carry out sustainable forest management4 7c7 ,methods ,the program may include the development and distribution of educational materials and holding events designed to transfer knowledge4 7d7 ,expertise ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 maintain1 within the ,forest ,service1 sufficient professional expertise relating to the uses of wood products to conduct the program2 and 7#b7 improve that expertise by collaborating with other ,federal and non-,federal experts on the uses of wood products4 7e7 ,partners ,the ,secretary shall collaborate and partner with #a or more non-,federal entities1 including the governments of other countries1 ,states1 local governments1 not-for-profit organizations1 businesses1 and institutions of higher education-- 7#a7 to enhance tall wood building commercialization in the ,united ,states2 7#b7 to develop technical assistance relating to tall wood building commercialization2 and 7#c7 to carry out the program4 7f7 ,funding ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out the program such sums as are necessary4