[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8618 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8618
To require the Environmental Protection Agency to assess the lifecycle
greenhouse gas emissions associated with forest biomass combustion for
electricity when developing relevant rules and regulations and to carry
out a study on the impacts of the forest biomass industry, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 4, 2024
Mr. Thompson of Mississippi (for himself and Mrs. Foushee) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Environmental Protection Agency to assess the lifecycle
greenhouse gas emissions associated with forest biomass combustion for
electricity when developing relevant rules and regulations and to carry
out a study on the impacts of the forest biomass industry, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Forest Biomass Emissions Act of
2024''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Forest biomass.--
(A) In general.--The term ``forest biomass''
means--
(i) trees grown for energy production;
(ii) wood waste and wood residues generated
from sawmill operations;
(iii) low-grade wood generated from timber
harvest;
(iv) forest thinnings;
(v) timber harvest slash and residues; and
(vi) forest-derived waste generated from
pulp and paper industrial operations.
(B) Exclusions.--The term ``forest biomass'' does
not include--
(i) paper that is commonly recycled; or
(ii) unsegregated solid waste.
(3) Impacted community.--The term ``impacted community''
means a population living in close proximity to a source of
pollution.
(4) Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.--The term
``lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions'' has the meaning given
the term in section 211(o)(1) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.
7545(o)(1)).
(5) Science advisory board.--The term ``Science Advisory
Board'' means the Science Advisory Board established under
section 8(a) of the Environmental Research, Development, and
Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 4365(a)).
SEC. 3. LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ASSESSMENT.
(a) In General.--When promulgating any relevant rules and
regulations, the Administrator shall assess and take into account the
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of
electricity from forest biomass.
(b) Requirement.--In conducting the assessment under subsection
(a), the Administrator shall account for the full impact on lifecycle
greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of forest biomass used to
generate electricity.
SEC. 4. EVALUATING OTHER IMPACTS OF THE FOREST BIOMASS INDUSTRY.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall, in consultation
with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Agriculture,
carry out a study to identify and assess the impacts of forest
biomass electricity production on impacted communities located
close to facilities that produce wood pellets from forest
biomass, forest biomass power facilities, and active forest
biomass harvesting areas.
(2) Inclusion.--In carrying out the study under paragraph
(1), the Administrator shall--
(A) evaluate--
(i) the sources of, exposures to, and
impacts of noise, dust, and air pollutants
regulated under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.
7401 et seq.), including criteria air
pollutants and hazardous air pollutants, that
originate directly from forest biomass pellet
mills and processing operations on the premises
of facilities described in paragraph (1); and
(ii) other upstream impacts from outside of
the premises of those facilities, such as
harvesting and trucking; and
(B) collect data, including data on cumulative
impacts, on impacted communities within the geographic
areas impacted by upstream and downstream emissions
from facilities described in paragraph (1), including--
(i) air quality measurements from those
industrial sites and within those impacted
communities;
(ii) the race and socioeconomic status of
individuals within those impacted communities;
and
(iii) with respect to forest biomass pellet
mills, data on compliance with applicable
statutes and any penalties applied for
violations of those statutes.
(b) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which the
study carried out under subsection (a)(1) is completed, the
Administrator shall--
(1) submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives a report describing the results of the
study; and
(2) submit the report under paragraph (1) to the Science
Advisory Board to further inform the study of forest biomass
associated with electricity generation.
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