From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Thu Feb 17 09:34:43 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:34:43 -0800 Subject: [Forest_Biomass] Forestry Department to celebrate century of service on Feb. 23 Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B601E248962C@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Dept. of Forestry issued this news release today. Forestry Department to celebrate century of service on Feb. 23 For immediate release Major Media Distribution February 17, 2011 Rod Nichols, (503) 945-7425, rnichols at odf.state.or.us Oregon's forest heritage will be the theme when the Oregon Board and Department of Forestry celebrate their centennial on Feb. 23 at the State Capitol. Displays featuring Oregonians' close ties to the state's 30 million acres of forestland from pre-settlement times to present will be available for viewing in the Capitol Galleria throughout the event, scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) retirees will be on hand to answer questions and share anecdotes about forest management as it has evolved over the years. A 1 p.m. ceremony will feature remarks from Board of Forestry Chair John Blackwell and State Forester Doug Decker. A proclamation signed by Gov. John Kitzhaber, recognizing the Board and Department for a century of service, will be presented. Following the ceremony, a cake decorated with ODF's centennial logo will be served. Throughout the event, attendees can purchase a collectible: an envelope with a genuine postal cancelation mark depicting the 100th anniversary. Aumsville Postmaster Ray Berg will be on hand to do the honors. Sale proceeds will help defray the costs of the centennial celebration. Kids are invited to decorate tree cookies at a table in the Galleria. The "cookies" - round slices of wood - are branded with ODF's centennial logo on one side. Young artists can personalize the other side with rubber stamps and felt markers. The tree cookies are free. The evolution of forest firefighting will be portrayed by two wildland fire engines on display across Court Street from the Capitol. A modern engine will be parked beside a vintage 1930 engine. ODF firefighters will be available to discuss forest fire suppression then and now. Bear hugs will be offered throughout the day by (who else?) Smokey Bear, courtesy of the Keep Oregon Green Association, ODF's longtime partner in wildfire prevention. The association will host a table in the Galleria with information on how to prevent forest fires. "We especially want this to be a 'kid-friendly' event," ODF's Dan Postrel said. "It's an opportunity for young people to learn about the role forestry has played in Oregon's history - and have fun doing it." The Galleria is on the main floor of the Capitol building, at 900 Court St. in Salem. ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Fri Feb 18 09:46:38 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:46:38 -0800 Subject: [Forest_Biomass] Forest Biomass in the News 02-18-2011 Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B601E24F1E21@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> These news articles about forest biomass appeared recently: Kitzhaber announces grants to develop biomass (Statesman Journal (c) 02/14/2011) [cid:image001.gif at 01CBCF4F.C6F9D960]Save Indexed Feb 14 2011 8:44PM (Article ID 517971237) e to help get Oregon's biomass industry moving. The grants announced Monday would be given to up to a half dozen companies help for doing feasibility studies on building or expanding plants that burn forest thinnings to produce energy, or turn woody biomass into fuel. They are part of the governor's plan to build the biomass industry to create new jobs, new sources of energy, and promote thinning Direct Program website link for the Forest Products Energy Project: http://www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/BUSINESS/oregon_forest_products_energy_project.shtml Mixed response to Vancouver biomass district energy proposal Work group to advise Thurston County on biomass moratorium Bioenergy opponent sounds off in Seattle Times Future of ODOE debated by Oregon legislature Trillium FiberFuels explores value-added co-products Regional lawmakers host Congressional briefing on biomass energy Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Oregon Department of Forestry Agency Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.gif Type: image/gif Size: 358 bytes Desc: image001.gif URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Tue Feb 22 10:14:17 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:14:17 -0800 Subject: [Forest_Biomass] Forest Biomass in the News 2-22-2011 Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B601E24F2051@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> These news articles related to forest biomass appeared in the past few days in Pacific NW media sources: Kitzhaber's biomass strategy faces hurdles - Associated Press http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_KITZHABER_BIOMASS_OROL-?SITE=OREUG&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Goldmark (WA DNR) addresses biomass in Seattle Times Op-Ed Bill would create biomass tax credit Transportation would be subsidized By Lauren Dake / The Bulletin, February 19. 2011 SALEM - Some lawmakers are hoping to revitalize Oregon's once vibrant timber economy and give the biomass industry a kick start by giving a tax break to those who transport the woody materials from the forest to the biofuel producer. "It's a jobs bill for rural Oregon," said Rep. Jim Thompson, R-Dallas, one of the sponsors of HB 2936. "For once, we're doing something that is going to apply to rural Oregon jobs. And that's enormous because most of our economic development is urban-centered." The bill would give a $10-per-ton tax credit to people transporting woody biomass materials from the forest. The bill also directs the Oregon Department of Energy to study biomass facilities throughout the state and take stock of what is on the market, such as old mills that could be reconfigured, and what should be developed. Proponents of the bill said it will help Oregon's economy not only by creating more jobs, but also by investing in an industry they believe could be successful in Oregon. Opponents point out that the biomass industry is growing over all without the tax credits. A financial impact statement on this bill has not been done, so the tax credit's cost is unclear. Thompson pointed out it's based on an income tax break, which draws from the state general fund. "We're an income tax state," he said. "Where does the general fund come from? Income, from people who have jobs. If we create jobs and invest money, we should get back more (than we give up through tax credits). ... So, instead of decreasing the general fund, it would actually increase it, because more people will be employed." Jody Wiser, with Tax Fairness Oregon, said she's worried that there's no way to know how much the bill will cost the state without capping it. She said biomass businesses are already growing in Oregon. "I'm concerned that if the businesses are growing without subsidies - I'm not sure I believe we have to have a subsidy to keep growing," she said. Thompson sponsored a nearly identical bill in 2009, but it died in committee. He said he has more hope this time around because people want jobs. "There are lots of people with chain saws and nothing to do with them," he said. "This puts them back to work cleaning up the woods and making electricity." Both co-speakers of the House, Rep. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, and Rep. Bruce Hanna, R-Roseburg, are sponsoring this bill. Chuck Burley, a former Central Oregon lawmaker and consultant with American Forest Resources Council, said the biggest cost of the biofuel equation is transportation. "Biomass doesn't pay its way out of the woods," he said. "There is so little value, and the biggest cost factor is transportation." Rob Broberg, president of Biogreen Sustainable Energy, the company behind the effort to build a new biomass plant in La Pine, said he supports the idea. "It allows you to tackle the terrain that is more difficult to go out and harvest," he said. In 2010, about $5 million was given in tax credits relating to woody biomass, according to Christopher Allanach, with the state's revenue office. Lauren Dake can be reached at 541-419-8074 or at ldake at bendbulletin.com. ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Oregon Department of Forestry Agency Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Thu Feb 24 07:30:59 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 07:30:59 -0800 Subject: [Forest_Biomass] Forest Biomass Work Group meets March 8 in Salem Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B601E24F24BC@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry NEWS RELEASE Forest Biomass Work Group meets March 8 in Salem February 24, 2011 Contact: Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427 A workgroup of representatives from state government, forest industries, renewable energy development and the environmental community will meet in Salem on March 8 to discuss the role of Oregon's forests in providing energy production from wood. The Forest Biomass Work Group will meet on Tuesday March 8 at 10:00 a.m. in the Administration Building (Tillamook meeting room) of the Oregon Department of Forestry complex, 2600 State Street in Salem. The tentative agenda for the meeting includes presentations regarding renewable energy systems, current Oregon biomass energy opportunities, biomass grant or loan programs available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and reports from teams working on three issues: carbon neutrality of forest biomass, developing family wage jobs in Oregon from renewable energy and potential incentives for developing forest biomass energy facilities. Members of the public are invited to participate in the meeting. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations for the meeting can be directed to the Oregon Department of Forestry at (503) 945-7427. Additional information about the Oregon Department of Forestry is available on ODF's web site, www.oregon.gov/ODF. ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer ODF Agency Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Fri Feb 25 10:12:30 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:12:30 -0800 Subject: [Forest_Biomass] Forest Biomass in the News 2-22-2011 Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B601E2CDB5AB@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> These news articles about forest biomass appeared recently in Pacific NW news sources: Biomass plays part in sustainable forestry (Coos Bay World (c) 02/24/2011) [cid:image001.gif at 01CBD4D3.98A9E490]Save Indexed Feb 24 2011 5:07PM (Article ID 522153603) nge current habits requires enlightened management. Gov. John Kitzhaber wants the Legislature to renew tax credits for the fledgling biomass industry. Lawmakers should do so. The U.S. forest Service, which owns most of Oregon's timberlands, must persevere in forest restoration projects that produce enough biomass to make harvesting it worthwhile. Those old bulls of Kitzhaber names natural resources adviser (Business Journal of Portland (c) 02/24/2011) [cid:image001.gif at 01CBD4D3.98A9E490]Save Indexed Feb 24 2011 5:07PM (Article ID 522153738) Gov. John Kitzhaber continued his string of appointments on Thursday, naming Richard Whitman as his interim natural resources adviser. Whitman is currently director of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. He previously directed the natural resources Section of the Oregon Department An opportunity to break the gridlock in our forests (Oregonian (c) 02/23/2011) [cid:image001.gif at 01CBD4D3.98A9E490]Save Indexed Feb 23 2011 7:31PM (Article ID 521709050) fire. The economic, environmental and social benefits we derive from our forests are being severely degraded as a consequence. Over the last two decades we've made little progress in addressing our forest health crisis. False starts and unmet promises from Democratic and Republican administrations, a maze of regulations and unscientific restrictions, time-consuming lawsuits, and distrust between EPA eases rules for biomass boilers Newly built John Day facility among those likely to benefit from changes By Ed Merriman / The Bulletin, February 24. 2011 Efforts to reduce domestic dependence on foreign oil advanced Monday under Environmental Protection Agency rule changes easing restrictions on operating biomass boilers that convert wood wastes from forest thinning projects, agricultural wastes and other biomass materials into renewable energy, according to government officials. The changes modify EPA boiler emission standards proposed by the agency in June that were so strict they appeared to doom biomass plants across the country, including one just completed in John Day with $4 million in federal stimulus funds. Biomass proponents and members of Oregon's congressional delegation argued that the rules wrongly lumped biomass boilers that emit nontoxic emissions with large coal-burning boilers that emit hazardous pollutants and threatened to kill Oregon's fledgling biomass industry before it got off the ground. "Forest product wastes, such as trimmings from door and window plants, would be considered biomass and not solid waste, and therefore would not be forced to meet the more stringent incinerator standards for solid waste-burning units," Tom Towsley, Oregon director of communications for U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said Wednesday. "Biomass plants would not be required to control for mercury or other pollutants not normally present." Towsley said the rule changes announced Monday would allow biomass to be burned in a variety of boilers, such as the one in the plant completed in December in John Day by Prineville-based Ochoco Lumber Co. That would allow the plant to operate and produce energy. Under the rule changes, small residential and commercial biomass boilers that generate heat or energy for homes, schools, businesses or government office buildings, airports and other similar uses "would essentially be allowed without requiring any additional pollution controls," Towsley said. Larger units, such as the biomass plants built to generate energy from wood wastes at paper mills, "would still be required to have some additional pollution devices," Towsley said. In a letter to Wyden dated Feb. 23, the EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, said the rule changes reflect "a clear technical distinction between boilers that burn coal and boilers that burn biomass." Jackson's letter says the rule changes provide "additional flexibility for existing biomass boilers" by increasing carbon monoxide limits for biomass boilers and other measures designed to reduce compliance costs, while maintaining restrictions on lead, hydrogen sulfide, mercury and other emissions that pose a danger to human health. "Changes such as those listed above render the issued standards about half as costly to meet as the proposed (June rules) would have been. The issued standards nonetheless will protect enormous numbers of American adults and children from harm by reducing their exposure to air toxics such as mercury and lead, which have adverse effects on IQ, learning and memory," according to an excerpt from Jackson's letter. The EPA estimates that even with the easing of rules governing biomass boilers, manufacturing and installing pollution-control equipment required under the new standards will create around 2,200 new jobs nationwide. "I am proud of the work that the EPA has done to craft protective, sensible standards for controlling hazardous air pollution from boilers and process heaters," Jackson wrote. "The standards reflect what industry has told the agency about the practical reality of operating these units." Because the revised rules are substantially different from those the public had an opportunity to comment on last year, Jackson said the EPA will seek comments "from members of the public who would like the agency to reconsider aspects of the standards that have changed significantly." Towsley said existing plants will not have to comply with the rule for at least three years, "so if there are further changes in the rule, they will not be required to spend money for compliance measures for several years." Ed Merriman can be reached at 541-617-7820 or emerriman at bendbulletin.com. ### Also... Regional universities receive $20 million to study climate impacts on ag, forestry Ecology Dept (WA) releases Climate Comprehensive Plan and Reducing GHG Emissions in WA State Gov't report Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Oregon Department of Forestry Agency Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.gif Type: image/gif Size: 358 bytes Desc: image001.gif URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Mon Feb 28 08:24:47 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:24:47 -0800 Subject: [Forest_Biomass] USDA Expands Efforts to Develop Crop Insurance for Biofuels Producers Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B601E2CDB7A7@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> From: "USDA Office of Communications" Date: February 25, 2011 8:21:42 AM PST Release No. Pending Contact: Shirley Pugh (202) 690-0437 USDA Expands Efforts to Develop Crop Insurance for Biofuels Producers WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2011--Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA will soon seek proposals to study the feasibility of providing crop insurance to producers of biofuel feedstocks, including corn stover, straw and woody biomass. These feasibility studies, funded by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) will join research efforts already underway for energy cane, switchgrass and camelina. "Providing additional risk management tools for American farmers to produce advanced biofuels crops is an important step toward developing a thriving biofuels industry and reducing our dependence on foreign oil," said Vilsack. "Renewable energy development contributes to the Obama Administration's effort to 'win the future' by supporting America's farmers as they grow and harvest materials that can be converted into renewable energy. This effort creates new jobs and opportunities for those who live in rural America." The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 established a mandate that the American economy use 36 billion gallons of renewable transportation fuel per year in its transportation fuel supply by 2022. Of that, 20 billion gallons are targeted to come from sources such as switchgrass, energy cane, woody biomass and other non-food feedstocks. Two contracts will be funded by USDA. Those interested in applying should refer to the solicitations which will be available on FedBizOpps at http://www.fedbizopps.gov/m or on RMA's website at http://www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/opportunities/. ________________________________ USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). ### Forwarding to the Forest Biomass News list - Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Oregon Department of Forestry Agency Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: