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One local timber company has received a large amount of funding that it will use to create more jobs for Colorado.

Delta Timber recently announced that it has received a $500,000 grant that must be used to fund local jobs. The company said it will use the funding to double Delta Timber's current workforce, adding about 15 to 20 jobs.

The grant money is coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Forest Service, which received $1.15 billion for forest project work throughout the country.

Those extra jobs will allow Delta Timber to employ full-time crews at the company's saw mill and planer operations. Up until now, the company has been assigning workers to one location or the other on a rotating basis.

"The purpose of this grant is to create jobs, jobs, jobs," Eric Sorenson, co-owner and general manager of Delta Timber, told the Delta County Independent. "There is a real concern that too much of the state’s timber industry has gone out of business. The idea of this grant is to help keep the industry surviving.

"We received 19 letters of support from local economic development, from vendors we work with, from the county commissioners, from state legislators, and even from a U.S. senator," he continued. "We are really grateful for the community support we receive in Delta. It is quite overwhelming and I want to say how much we really appreciate this community."

The added jobs could help target growing problems in the timber industry. As of late, there has been an increased push to recognize forest health issues, including Sudden Aspen Decline and beetle infestations that are threatening to kill pine and spruce forests.

The Colorado State Forest Service received two grants to distribute on a competitive basis. A $6.25 million grant will create or retain jobs focused on forest restoration and fuels mitigation projects and a $4.465 million grant will help fund jobs affiliated with developing and implementing community wildfire protection plans.

Overall, the Colorado State Forest Service received 52 proposals totaling more than $32 million, with 20 counties in Colorado, including Delta County, slated to receive part of the stimulus funding.

Labels: Jobs for Colorado