H.R. 8618

[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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