Glenn Mosier's San Diego Clean Tech » Legislation

Sawdust on a level playing field

gmosier — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:23:13 +0000

Yesterday I met with the founders of a stealth-mode biomass energy company. They are local, but their venture is focused on those states in which there is an abundance of lumber and pulp wood. Sawdust, chips, brush and tree parts are feedstock for a variety of carbon neutral energy processes including gasification, pyrolysis and wood pellets. In our discussion they voiced their concern about the exclusionary nature of the definition of Renewable Fuel Standard. I think the point they raise has merit particularly when you consider that 30% of the land area of the U.S. is owned by the Federal government. I’ve reprinted a portion of their e-mail to me below.

We believe the definition of renewable biomass within the Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007 should be changed to remove the term “non-federal” from Section 201 (1) (I) (ii) and (iv). The current definition prevents almost all federal land biomass – such as trees, wood, brush, thinnings, chips and slash – from counting toward the Renewable Fuel Standard. Federal lands, particularly in the Western U.S., are at increased risk from wildfire because of the lack of regular thinning, the propensity to fight all fires regardless of size or risk to life and/or property and the impact of infestations such as the western pine beetle. Changing the language to include the sustainable management of federal forest land will not only decrease the fire danger, it will enhance the overall health of the forests. The woody biomass extracted from federal lands will also increase the volume of renewable fuels available to the country; thereby, incrementally decreasing the amount of imported foreign petroleum.

Conversation with Rep. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts

gmosier — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:40:05 +0000

Yesterday I attended a luncheon in Qualcomm‘s boardroom which featured Rep. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and the co-author of the Waxman-Markey Bill, “The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009” (H.R. 2454). The bill passed the house in June by a seven vote margin and is now in the Senate for consideration. Congressman Markey explained that the national discussion of this landmark legislation has been stalled by the emotional debate over health-care reform. The health-care rhetoric starves the political room of oxygen for all other discussions. When (and if) a health-care plan is finalized, the national debate over the historic energy bill will grab center stage.

As would be expected of a 33 year veteran of the House, the Congressman is both witty and articulate. He had a chance to demonstrate his listening skills when local business leaders told him what was needed to sustain the San Diego innovation economy. Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT, stressed the need for effective intellectual property protection with enforcement home and abroad. A senior Qualcomm executive made the case for enlightened immigration regulations. He noted that over the years Qualcomm has recruited many of the “best and brightest” only to lose them when their legal right to remain in the US expired. In each case the U.S. lost a tax payer and Qualcomm lost a skilled, experienced employee who in many cases became employed by an overseas competitor to Qualcomm.

Link to H.R. 2454: American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009