Timber Harvesters, Haulers, and Landowners Market Disruptions Relief Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a relief program for timber businesses and landowners who lose money because of major market problems. It covers situations like local mills closing down, foreign trade barriers, or timber prices dropping by half.
• Eligible businesses can receive an initial payment of up to $20,000 to help with immediate costs. A second payment can cover 30 percent of their lost revenue compared to the previous year to help them stay afloat.
• The money can be used for daily business expenses like paying workers, buying fuel, repairing equipment, or paying off debt. It can also help businesses find new ways to sell their wood products.
• To qualify, a business must earn at least $35,000 a year from timber and get most of its income from harvesting or hauling wood. Landowners must also meet specific wood sale minimums to be eligible for the help.
• The program would be funded by taxes the government already collects on lumber imported from Canada. This means the relief would not require new tax dollars from the general public.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.