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Proposal would set aside $6 million for low-interest loans to reopen closed sawmills
Summary
House Bill 876 would authorize $6 million for low-interest loans through the Board of Investments to incentivize reopening closed sawmills; supporters said mills are needed for local jobs and forest-health work, while committee members requested details on supply, workforce and funding sources.
A coalition of local economic-development groups, loggers and forest-management interests urged the committee to support House Bill 876, which would appropriate $6 million to the Board of Investments to make low-interest loans (capped at 3%) to entities that reopen sawmills shuttered in the previous three years.
Representative John Fitzpatrick, the sponsor, said the measure — labeled the Montana Sawmill Revitalization Act in testimony — would help rural economies and improve forest health by creating outlets for harvested timber. "This short piece of legislation ... appropriates $6,000,000 to the Board of Investments for the purposes of making low interest loans with a 3%…
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