Overview

Title

To establish a contracting preference for public buildings that use innovative wood products in the construction of those buildings, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

The bill is like giving a gold star to buildings that use new and cool wood grown in the U.S. in a way that's safe for forests and helps nature. It wants builders to use this special wood to keep forests healthy and check if it's good for the environment.

Summary AI

The bill S. 4149 aims to give priority to public building projects in the United States that use "innovative wood products," specifically those sourced responsibly from within the country. This legislation sets a preference for projects that incorporate mass timber from facilities within the U.S. and harvested from responsibly managed forests. Additionally, the bill emphasizes sourcing wood products from practices that enhance forest ecosystem functions, prevent wildfires, and support underserved forest owners. Lastly, a lifecycle assessment will be conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of these wood products, with the findings reported to Congress.

Published

2024-04-17
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Introduced in Senate
Date: 2024-04-17
Package ID: BILLS-118s4149is

Keywords AI

mass timber innovative wood products public buildings contracting preference sustainable sourcing underserved forest owners lifecycle assessment environmental impact u.s. forests made in america

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
993
Pages:
6
Sentences:
25

Language

Nouns: 296
Verbs: 77
Adjectives: 62
Adverbs: 8
Numbers: 43
Entities: 50

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.51
Average Sentence Length:
39.72
Token Entropy:
4.99
Readability (ARI):
22.91

AnalysisAI

Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, titled the "Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act of 2024," aims to promote the use of innovative wood products in the construction of public buildings across the United States. Introduced in the Senate by Mr. Merkley and Mr. Risch, this bill seeks to establish a contracting preference, meaning that when contracts are made for constructing, altering, acquiring, or leasing public buildings, priority will be given to projects that use these innovative wood materials. The materials must be sourced from facilities in the United States and harvested from responsible sources, including indigenous lands, to the maximum extent possible.

In addition, the bill requires a lifecycle environmental impact assessment of buildings using these wood products. The results are to be submitted to Congress, providing insights into the sustainability effects of utilizing these materials. The aim is to encourage sustainable building practices while supporting domestic industries involved in innovative wood products.

Summary of Significant Issues

Several notable issues arise from this legislation:

  1. Market Imbalance: The contracting preference could skew the market in favor of companies involved in innovative wood products, potentially creating an imbalance by preferentially benefiting certain sectors over others.

  2. Ambiguity and Interpretation: Terms like "responsible sources" and "independently certified procurement standard" could lead to differing interpretations and create legal ambiguity. The requirement for innovative wood products to meet these standards may pose challenges in consistent application.

  3. Reference to External Legislation: The bill refers to definitions from existing legislation, namely the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. This could require additional context to be provided to ensure clarity for all stakeholders involved.

  4. Underserved Forest Owners: There is a preference for sourcing from "underserved forest owners," yet the lack of a clear definition for "underserved" might lead to subjective interpretations and benefit certain groups disproportionately.

  5. Administrative Burden: The documentation requirements for verifying the sourcing of wood products might lead to increased administrative tasks, potentially raising the cost and complicating project management efforts for both contractors and government agencies.

Impact on the Public

Broadly, this bill might have a significant impact on public building projects across the nation. By prioritizing innovative wood products, it promotes the use of sustainable materials, which might reduce the carbon footprint of public buildings and support ecological restoration practices. This shift could resonate with the public's growing concern for environmental sustainability and resource conservation.

Impact on Stakeholders

Positive Impacts: - Environmental Organizations: The bill supports sustainable practices by promoting restoration and responsible sourcing, aligning with the objectives of many environmental groups. - Domestic Industry: Companies involved in the production of innovative wood products stand to benefit from increased government contracts, potentially leading to job creation and economic growth within this sector.

Negative Impacts: - Traditional Construction Material Suppliers: Industries reliant on more conventional construction materials might experience reduced demand as contracts shift towards wood products. - Contractors and Government Agencies: The administrative burden of compliance requirements and documentation may lead to inefficiencies and increased costs. Contractors might need additional resources to adhere to the new standards, which could be perceived as a regulatory burden.

Overall, the legislation stands to benefit the environment and specific segments of the construction industry while potentially introducing complexity and market shifts that stakeholders must carefully manage.

Issues

  • The contracting preference for public buildings to use innovative wood products might favor certain companies or industries involved in this sector, creating market imbalances (Section 2).

  • The term 'responsible sources' and the requirement that innovative wood products meet an 'independently certified procurement standard' could lead to legal ambiguity and challenges in application (Section 2(b)(1)(B)).

  • The definition of 'innovative wood product' refers to external legislation, specifically the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. This might necessitate additional context within the bill to ensure clarity for all stakeholders (Section 2(a)(2)).

  • The preference for procurement options from 'underserved forest owners' and the lack of a clear definition of 'underserved' might lead to subjective interpretation and benefit certain groups disproportionately (Section 2(b)(2)(A)(ii)(III)).

  • The documentation requirement to verify sourcing of innovative wood products could create administrative burdens, potentially leading to inefficiency or increased costs for contractors and governmental agencies (Section 2(b)(2)(B)).

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of this Act specifies its official name, which is the “Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act of 2024”.

2. Made in America Mass Timber Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section outlines a preference for contracts involving U.S. public buildings to use innovative wood products sourced domestically and responsibly, with particular emphasis on products from restoration practices or underserved forest owners. It requires the Administrator and Secretary of Defense to prioritize these materials, and mandates a lifecycle assessment of the environmental impact of buildings using these products, followed by a report to Congress.