Alaska Governor Signs Legislation Establishing Lumber Grading Training Program for Sawmill Operators

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy on Thursday (8-30-23) signed a law establishing a lumber grading training program for sawmill operators in Alaska. The lumber grading program will help local sawmills get their product to market and reduce Alaska’s dependence on lumber shipped in from Canada or the Lower 48 for residential construction, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

The governor noted that membership in a lumber grading agency can be cost prohibitive for small sawmills. In Alaska, many sawmills do not produce enough lumber to justify the cost of membership in a lumber grading agency accredited by the American Lumber Standards Committee. As a result, most dimensional lumber in Alaska is imported from the Pacific Northwest and Canada where stamped lumber is produced.

The new law directs the Alaska Division of Forestry to develop a lumber grading program and issue lumber grading certificates to individuals who complete the program or meet other specifications. The certification authorizes the individual to grade load-bearing dimensional lumber that they mill. The bill specifies when the lumber can be used in residential construction and requirements for informing the purchaser of the designating characteristics of the lumber. It also allows a home inspector to authorize the use of the lumber, reject its use, or authorize use with more restrictive construction requirements.