The U.S. Department of Commerce, through the Economic Development Administration (EDA), has awarded a $4.2 million grant to the Clallam County Economic Development Council in Port Angeles to support the Clallam Forest Product Innovation Program at the Natural Resources Innovation Center (NRIC).
The funding aims to revitalize the local forest products industry, generating new economic opportunities throughout the North Olympic Peninsula. Paired with over $1 million in local matching funds, the grant will fund several important initiatives, including the redevelopment of the Forks Industrial Park, the establishment of a forestry workforce development program, expanding barging to and from the Peninsula, and efforts to expand forest products manufacturing and the biomass economy. The local partners that contributed to funding include Clallam County government, Oregon State University, Port of Port Angeles, Clallam County EDC, Composite Recycling Technology Center (CRTC), Peninsula College, University of Washington’s Olympic Natural Resources Center, and the City of Forks.
As part of this program, the Composite Recycling Technology Center will develop a mass timber housing solution for the Tribal housing market, using wood sourced from the Makah Tribe. The initiative will assess the feasibility of producing plywood and Oriented Strand Board with advanced vapor and rain barrier technologies to meet Washington state’s energy codes, with plans to transport these materials to the California building market. Additionally, the project will test a publicly owned kiln to support three manufacturers in Port Angeles, creating jobs and boosting local production.
Other elements of the Clallam Forest Product Innovation Program include exploring industrial symbiosis opportunities to reduce waste and costs by facilitating resource-sharing among local forest product industries and develop barging infrastructure at the Port of Port Angeles to unlock both economic and environmental benefits. The program also plans to redesign an industrial park to accommodate a major Canadian manufacturer and collaborate with local universities to train workers in advanced timber harvesting technologies.
The August 2024 closure of Port Angeles’ McKinley Mill, and the corresponding loss of almost 500 jobs (direct and indirect), allowed Clallam County EDC to request funding from an EDA set-aside for “Biomass Closure Communities” in late 2024. By affiliating NRIC with the PNW Mass Timber Tech Hub, funded by EDA, the request for the job creation program was given even greater weight. This three-year, $5.27 million program will enhance the important work of the North Olympic Peninsula Recompete Coalition partners through RECOMPETE, ensuring high-wage job opportunities for unemployed residents.
The outcomes of the initiative will include increased employment with good wages, particularly in Port Angeles and the distressed West End, both of which have faced significant job losses. Additionally, the initiative will lead to wildfire risk reduction and enhance forest health and resiliency. Carbon emissions will be reduced through barging, and by processing biomass in carbon-positive ways instead of allowing it to decompose and release greenhouse gases.
There will also be a boost in forest products manufacturing and the advancement of the emerging biomass economy, facilitated by water-borne transport. Furthermore, the sustainable use of renewable resources will contribute to the creation of green products and buildings that sequester CO2, generating value for residents of the North Olympic Peninsula.
