Issue Paper

The development of national programs and policies to encourage woody biomass harvesting and utilization is moving forward rapidly, and is being driven by a number of factors. Energy security, development of renewable energy, combating global climate change, and wildfire risk reduction are national priorities, and the utilization of woody biomass plays a role in each, as well as in the management of long-term forest health. To learn more read our primer on woody biomass utilization and our vision for community-scaled energy.

While the policies and programs currently in existence and in development all hold potential to expand a domestic woody biomass sector, they are inadequately addressing issues of scale, environmental impacts, social acceptance, public lands management, and rural economic development. The RVCC Biomass Working Group has developed a number of recommendations on how to address these issues.

RVCC Key Recommendations:

1. Improve and extend Production Tax Credits and qualify thermal biomass energy when developing Renewable Portfolio Standards.
2. Create and fund a grant program to provide capacity building and technical assistance to communities and micro-businesses, and fund existing biomass grant programs.
3. Revise USFS and BLM performance measures and targets to encourage biomass harvesting from the treatment of priority acres identified through a collaborative process.
4. Grant budget and target flexibility and waive cancellation ceilings to facilitate the development of long-term stewardship contracts.

To learn more read the entire 2008 Woody Biomass Issue Paper which includes a primer on the topic.

Working Group

The Biomass Working Group is attempting to promote diverse utilization of woody biomass as a means of supporting hazardous fuels reduction and restoration of fire adapted ecosystems, while providing social and economic benefits to the communities of the rural West.  Our work focuses on developing incentives for appropriately scaled biomass utilization efforts, enabling the federal agencies to provide a sustainable supply of woody biomass derived from the stewardship of federal forest lands, and promoting traditional and innovative uses of woody biomass that focus on adding value and creating jobs in rural communities.  In 2007, we worked to promote appropriate biomass provisions in the 2007 Farm Bill and we consulted with the USFS and their interagency partners to advise the development of their out-year woody biomass utilization strategy.  In 2008, we developed a primer on woody biomass utilization and our vision for community-scaled energy and encouraged policy makers to put thermal energy generation from woody biomass on par with other renewables. Chairs: Mike DeBonis, The Forest Guild; Chad Davis, Sustainable Northwest