Washington State enacts public biomass supply program

March 23, 2010

state Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has signed a state bill to establish a program to source biomass fuels from public forestry land.

The Forest Biomass Supply Agreements Bill received almost unanimous support from the state Legislature.

It will allow the state’s Department of Natural Resources to draw up long-term contracts with the emerging biomass industry to supply fuel from state forestry lands.

The Department said on Friday that the building of a green industry and new revenue source from state forested lands would help to sustain the local timber industry by providing a use for dead and dying material.

It could also save money from forest fire avoidance programs, the Department suggested.

“New green industry”

Commenting on the success of the Bill, state Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark said: “By signing this bill, Governor Gregoire is helping to encourage rural economic development and a new green industry on state forest lands.

“I’d like to thank the Legislature, and particularly Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim) and Sen. Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam), for helping to ensure this important piece of legislation made it through in a short session.”

this is a great opportunity to get green jobs growing in the places that need them” - State Senator Jim Hargrove

The bill will have “no cost” to the State, and could help generate revenues from state forests, the Department said.

“A lot of folks on the Peninsula are still recovering from the last recession and this is a great opportunity to get green jobs growing in the places that need them most,” said Sen. Hargrove (D-Hoquiam). “Expanding our green energy biomass projects will help our tree farmers and working families in timber-dependent rural areas.”

The new Bill followed up a pilot program enacted last year, which allowed the Department of Natural Resources to test out biomass energy programs. Four pilots were announced in January as part of the program’s Phase 1.

Add your comments

tamara
How come the residents on the Peninsula were never asked what we wanted? We don't need more air pollution. There is already smog licking up the Olympics, will burning more trees and slash help? What studies have been done to show that our soils will not suffer from the lose of nutrients? Yes we do have some slash burns, but if not burned to hot the nutrients replenish the soils. It also takes a lot of water to generate the electricity in biomass. I realize that I am just an average citizen, but I do not believe for one minute that this is “green”. Why not solar, wind, or mandatory conservation. If the government is suppose to protect us, that also means from large industry. It looks like they maybe the only one to truly benefit from this…
tamara
How come the residents on the Peninsula were never asked what we wanted? We don't need more air pollution. There is already smog licking up the Olympics, will burning more trees and slash help? What studies have been done to show that our soils will not suffer from the lose of nutrients? Yes we do have some slash burns, but if not burned to hot the nutrients replenish the soils. It also takes a lot of water to generate the electricity in biomass. I realize that I am just an average citizen, but I do not believe for one minute that this is “green”. Why not solar, wind, or mandatory conservation. If the government is suppose to protect us, that also means from large industry. It looks like they maybe the only one to truly benefit from this…