Tester Secures More Than $1.6 Million to Strengthen Montana’s Timber Economy, Create Jobs

Funding will come from Senator’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured more than $1.6 million for timber projects in Montana through his bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding will support wood-processing facilities that purchase and process byproducts from forest management work on federal or Tribal lands, and allow for the implementation of new timber water crossings.

Tester negotiated the IIJA and helped pass it into law last year, and he was the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to support the bipartisan legislation.

“A strong timber industry is critical for the strength of our rural economies and the resiliency of our forests,” Tester said. “That’s why I worked to secure funding for timber projects across western Montana that will create good-paying jobs and support responsible forest management.”

A breakdown of the funding can be found below:

• $509,376 – Marks-Miller Post and Pole, Inc (Clancy)
  • Funding will come from the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Program
• $1,000,000 – Wooden Haus Supply/Stoltze Timber Systems (Columbia Falls)
  • Funding will come from the USFS Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Program
• $170,000 – Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
  • Funding from IIJA will be used to implement timber water crossings

Tester worked across the aisle for months to negotiate the IIJA with a group of five Republicans, four Democrats, and the White House. Tester’s law is projected to create more than 800,000 American jobs and lower costs for businesses by making targeted investments that will strengthen our nation without raising taxes on working families.

Tester secured significant wins for Montana in the legislation, including $2.82 billion for Montana’s roads, highways, and bridges; $2.5 billion to complete all authorized Indian water rights settlements; $1 billion to complete all authorized rural water projects through the Bureau of Reclamation; $65 billion to deploy broadband to areas across the country that lack internet access and additionally make online connectivity affordable; and $3.37 billion to reduce wildfire risk nationwide, among others. Tester also worked to ensure that all iron, steel, and construction materials used for these projects must be made in America. A full list of Montana provisions in Tester’s bipartisan infrastructure law can be found HERE.