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Sawmills branch out to biomass: Practice thins forests to make electricity

January 22, 2007 /

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Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations.

After almost 90 years of sawing pine and Douglas fir logs into lumber, Rough & Ready Lumber Co. is branching into the energy business, building a $5 million plant to burn logging debris and to produce electricity that it can sell at a “green tag” premium to the regional power grid.

By JEFF BARNARD of the Associated Press

Full Story: http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/01/22/business/biz79.txt

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Lack of logs hampers timber industry in state

By PERRY BACKUS of the Missoulian

Timber supply, especially the supply of fiber, continues to be a problem for the state’s forest products industry, along with competition in the international market.

Timber supply problems and a downturn in the lumber market are the chief challenges facing the state’s forest products industry through 2007, said Ellen Engstedt, executive director of the Montana Woods Products Association.

Full Story: http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/01/22/business/biz89.txt