BIOMASS HUB

Yesterday, the House introduced a bill (H.R. 4227) that would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide loans to support the conversion of energy generation or heating and cooling systems to the use of renewable biomass and to support the installation of new equipment to use renewable biomass for such systems, and for other purposes.  The `Incentives to Increase Use of Renewable Biomass Act of 2009′ would amend Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.), as amended by section 9001 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246; 122 Stat. 2064), to include a loan program for:

• Public buildings (including higher education facilities, schools, hospitals, local government buildings, and selected buildings on Indian lands
• That “Use renewable biomass for not less than 75 percent of the energy generation, heating, or cooling needs of the facility of the covered institution for which the loan is received.”

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.  The bill was introduced by Rep Schrader (OR-5) and cosponsored by:

• Rep Baird (WA-3)
• Rep DeFazio (OR-4)
• Rep Herseth Sandlin (SD)
• Rep McMorris Rodgers (WA-5)
• Rep Minnick (ID-1)
• Rep Walden (OR-2)

Click here for more information on the bill.