Rural America gets $10M forestry training push—but broadband gap may limit reach
S. 1336 — Jobs in the Woods Act · Filed by Angus King (I-ME) · 9 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 8, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a federal grant program offering $500,000 to $2 million per grant to nonprofits, states, tribes, local governments, and colleges in rural, low-income areas to train workers for forestry jobs. Grants prioritize regions losing young workers and programs that partner with schools and vocational colleges to place graduates in forestry careers. The program authorizes $10 million annually through 2029.
Why we flagged it
The bill establishes a straightforward federal grant program for forestry career training in underserved rural areas. It is a public investment in human capital and regional economic development, not a subsidy to private industry or a regulatory change.
What the text implies
- Broadband requirement (100 Mbps down, 20 Mbps up, <48 hrs outage/year) may exclude the most isolated rural areas that lack infrastructure, potentially limiting reach to already-better-served nonmetropolitan communities.
- Program success depends on forestry industry hiring demand; if timber markets decline or automation accelerates, job placement outcomes may fall short despite training investment.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
rural nonprofits and educational institutions; forestry operations and timber companies (indirect, via trained workforce supply)