 | EPA Funding Cut by 16% in Budget Deal |
 One of the issues that threatened to derail the budget process earlier this month was the contentious series of policy-based amendments or "riders." Twenty-eight of these riders would have effectively restricted the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to enforce regulations and administer programs. One of the riders would have prohibited the agency from regulating greenhouse gases. While none of these riders made it into the actual budget, the agency did see a significant decrease in its funding -- a 16 percent drop of $1.6 billion.
And the battle to defund the EPA is not yet over. The agency's power is being challenged by two bills introduced in the House of Representatives.
More . . including bill details |
| BCAP Funding Cut in FY2011 Budget Battle |
 As part of the compromise budget agreement between Congress and the White House, the federal government has reduced funding for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). By how much is still unclear. A list of cuts released by House Republicans puts the decrease at $134 million. The text of the bill, as we reported last issue, says the following:
None of the funds appropriated or made available by this division or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out the Biomass Crop Assistance Program in excess of $112,000,000.
Outside of Washington D.C., neither the grammar of this section nor the math makes sense. You don't have to be an English teacher to find an easier way to say that funding for the program is limited to $112 million. And the math is even more obscure.
More . . including BCAP budget details |
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EPA Requests Comments on Biomass Tailoring Rule Deferment by May 5, 2011 |
 As part of the EPA's quest to release rules and guidance to state and federal Title V permitting agencies to implement the application of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and the Tailoring Rule, they have granted a request by the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) to reconsider the rule and issued interim guidance. Comments must be received on or before May 5, 2011.
Since our last report in the December 2010 Forest2Fuel newsletter, on January 12, 2011, the EPA announced the following steps to address the issues associated with biogenic CO2 emissions from stationary sources. These facilities include electric utilities burning biomass, wood products manufacturers, wood pellet fuel manufacuturers and pulp and paper manufacturers. |
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BioPower: Two Steps Up and One Step Back |
 Competing regulatory pressures continue to affect progress in biopower in the US. Amid numerous announcements that wood-to-electricity projects were on track and that new projects were under consideration, there were two major announcements that plans were being abandoned or put on hold. More...inlcuding detailed list of announcements |
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Pete Stewart at Argus Renewables Trading Summit |
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 Pete Stewart will join other renewable energy experts and decision makers at the Argus Renewables Trading Summit Americas 2011, June 7 & 8 in New York City. The event will focus on the newest trends in renewable energy generation, developments in regional and national legislation, a market-focused look at RECs trading programs, and growing opportunities in global biomass markets.
More about the presentation |
