White House Names Oregon as Tech Hub for Mass Timber, Opening the Door to Millions in Funding

According to reporting by Captial Press (10-24-23), the Biden Administration has announced that Oregon is in the running to receive tens of millions of dollars from the federal government for semiconductors and mass timber as the state will be home to two of 31 new technology hubs.

The hubs span 32 states and Puerto Rico and are meant to spur innovation and create jobs, particularly high-paying jobs, outside existing high-tech centers such as San Franisco and Seattle.

Monday’s announcement does not include funding; instead, it means the two Oregon hubs and 29 others throughout the country will be able to compete for $500 million in federal grants through the CHIPS and Science Act. Individual hubs could receive up to $75 million next year.

One of Oregon’s hubs will be for the development and production of semiconductors and their components in the US.

The second hub will be centered around the manufacturing and design of mass timber. The new tech hub is intended to make mass timber a viable and sustainable construction alternative and create jobs throughout Oregon and Washington. Along with reducing building emissions, the hub aims to decrease high housing costs.