Forest Bioeconomy Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2598
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-31: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2025-09-18T20:30:35Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The Forest Bioeconomy Act aims to expand federal research on the use of wood and forest products, strengthen technology transfer within the Forest Service, and create a dedicated mass timber science and education program to address needs of architects, developers, and the forest products industry.
Key Provisions
- Forest Products Research: Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, to expand research on wood to create new markets, improve manufacturing viability of low-value materials, and use wood as feedstock for renewable fuels including sustainable aviation fuel.
- Office of Technology Transfer: Establishes a new Office of Technology Transfer within the Forest Service, led by a Chief Commercialization Officer reporting to the Deputy Chief for Research and Development. The office oversees commercialization of Forest Service research, coordinates with other federal entities, manages patent protections, and engages with private sector partners.
- Technology Transfer Working Group: Creates an internal group to coordinate commercialization efforts, issue guidance on technology transfer laws, and report to Congress on agreements, licenses, and recommendations.
- Small Business Voucher Pilot Program: Launches a pilot providing vouchers to small businesses for use at Forest Service research facilities, with cost-sharing requirements (20-50% non-federal share depending on activity type) that may be reduced at the Secretary’s discretion. The program ends September 30, 2031, followed by a required outcomes report.
- Mass Timber Science and Education Program: Establishes a program focused on practical research, new lines of study (e.g., fire performance, structural characteristics, carbon impacts), competitive peer-reviewed grants, dissemination of findings, and development of voluntary engineering and architecture curricula on mass timber use.
- Strategy and Advisory Group: Requires a mass timber strategy submission to Congress by September 30, 2026, and creates a stakeholder advisory group of technical experts to guide priorities and proposals.
- Funding: Authorizes $5 million annually for the technology transfer office and allows up to $4 million annually from existing Forest Service research appropriations (excluding Forest Inventory and Analysis) for the mass timber program.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 402(b)(3) of the National Forest Foundation Act to explicitly include technology transfer and commercialization activities alongside cooperative forestry.
- Introduces new statutory structures, including the Office of Technology Transfer and the mass timber program, that build on but do not repeal existing authorities such as the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act.
- Adds reporting and performance indicator requirements tied to the President’s annual budget submission.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases administrative and coordination responsibilities for the Forest Service, requires new reporting on technology transfer metrics, and mandates interagency collaboration with the Department of Energy and Small Business Administration.
- Citizens and Industry: May accelerate commercialization of forest-based technologies and support small businesses through vouchers, while providing architects and developers with improved data on mass timber construction.
- International Relations: No direct provisions address international matters, though expanded research on sustainable aviation fuel and carbon impacts could indirectly support U.S. climate and trade policy discussions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Forest Service and Department of Agriculture.
- Small businesses in the forest products sector.
- Architects, real estate developers, and the forest products industry.
- Colleges and universities conducting related research.
- Local government building permit agencies.
- Nongovernmental organizations involved in tall wood building design and code development.
- Congress (through required reports and strategy submissions).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill operates within existing constitutional authority over federal lands and commerce, referencing established technology transfer statutes without creating novel legal frameworks. It emphasizes voluntary curriculum adoption and competitive grant processes rather than mandates. No provisions alter constitutional rights or create new regulatory regimes for private parties.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-31: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2025-07-31: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Forest Bioeconomy Act — issued 2025-07-31 — PDF (15 pages)