Dear Friend,

This is a game-changer:

Last week, I visited the construction site for a new office building being built in northeast Portland.



But this was no ordinary construction site.

Once completed, the four-story Albina Yard will be the first building in the U.S. to use domestically produced cross-laminated timber panels instead of traditional metal framing and reinforced concrete for the structural system. Cross-laminated timber is composed of large wooden panels made with hundreds of pieces of wood laid perpendicular and fused together using heat, pressure, and glue.

Read more about my visit here >> Merkley.senate.gov and check out a photo of cross-laminated timber from the construction site below!



This is a milestone for Oregon's economy and a great example of how research investments in urban development can fuel growth in our rural communities. In fact, D.R. Johnson, the Riddle sawmill cutting wood for Albina Yard, is the only U.S. maker of cross-laminated timber panels for structural use.

Moving Oregon's timber industry forward is one of my top priorities and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I worked to secure a $120,000 economic development grant to apply the cutting-edge research being done at Oregon's universities to create jobs and boost our investments in sustainable infrastructure.

I'm excited to see Oregon leading the way in cross-laminated timber technology, and I will keep fighting for Oregon's timber communities and for greater research investments that keep Oregon ahead of the curve.

All my best,
Jeff
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