Web exclusive posted August 20, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. CSTSen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Senate agriculturecommittees energy subcommittee, held a public hearing in RapidCity, S.D. on Aug. 18 to discuss the potential woody biomasslocated in the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota and whyits not currently allowed to be used as feedstock for cellulosicethanol projects.The hearing was attended by Senate Energy Committee member Sen. TimJohnson, D-S.D., representatives from the Black Hills NationalForest and the Black Hills Forest Resource Association as well asprivate forest land owner and KL Process Design Group LLC PresidentRandy Kramer.National forest Waste is not currently included in the definitionof woody biomass as written in the Energy Independence andSecurity Act of 2007. Thune told hearing attendees that the finaldefinition failed to include material removed or harvested fromfederal lands and national forests because the U.S. House ofRepresentatives changed the wording behind closed doors in thefinal days of debate before the bills passage. He has sinceintroduced bill S.2558 that would amend that definition.Thunes Senior Advisor Jon Lauck said the definition was changeddue to environmental concerns on behalf of some representatives.The testimony given Aug. 18 proved otherwise, he said. They(witnesses) said its actually worse for the forests to leave the waste there, Lauck said, adding that the current removal method ofburning slash piles adds carbon dioxide to the environment,worsening the environmental situation.From www.chinatopsupplier.com
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