An act to authorize a pilot program to encourage the efficient utilization of wood residues, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-554 · S. 1996 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 19, 1980 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. John Melcher (D-MT)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Dick Stone
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Wood Residue Utilization Act of 1980 - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and/or operate pilot wood residue utilization projects and demonstrations, including utilization demonstration areas, fuel wood concentration and distribution centers, and the construction of access roads.
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out pilot wood residue utilization projects using residue removal incentives to compensate specified purchasers of National Forest System timber for costs incurred in the removal of residues from timber sale areas to points of prospective use. Sets forth guidelines for such pilot projects, including the requirement of cost-effectiveness for any nonsafety-related removal of wood residues, limiting the amount of residue removal credits to the difference between the value of the timber and other designated charges, and authorizing the Secretary to sell such residues for at least the appraised value.
Requires the Secretary to make annual reports to Congress.
Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1982-1986 to carry out pilot wood residue utilization projects and demonstrations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Dec 19, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-554.
- Dec 10, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 9, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 8, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Dec 5, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Dec 4, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1526.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1526.
- Nov 19, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Sep 30, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Aug 18, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 6755.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Agriculture Committee
- Mar 26, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- Mar 25, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Mar 17, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Nov 9, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.