Kate Brown

Gov. Kate Brown and ­leaders of the University of Oregon have reached a mutually ­beneficial agreement that could result in an extra $40 million in state bonds in February for the UO’s new Knight science campus project. Brown endorsed the UO’s ­financial ask in a letter to state lawmakers on Dec. 4, ­after the UO agreed to incorporate at least 20,000 board feet of cross-laminated timber in the first Knight campus buildings. Brown has aggressively promoted cross-laminated timber, a wood product used in building construction, as a possible job creator in rural Oregon. The product — a timber industry favorite — still is emerging, however, and has faced headwinds in being accepted in building codes as a substitute for steel or concrete in certain applications.