I 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Forest Biomass Emis5 sions Act of 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis4 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ5 mental Protection Agency. 

6 (2) FOREST BIOMASS.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘forest bio8 mass’’ means— 

9 (i) trees grown for energy production; 

10 (ii) wood waste and wood residues 

11 generated from sawmill operations; 

12 (iii) low-grade wood generated from 

13 timber harvest; 

14 (iv) forest thinnings; 

15 (v) timber harvest slash and residues; 

16 and 

17 (vi) forest-derived waste generated 

18 from pulp and paper industrial operations. 

19 (B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘forest bio20 mass’’ does not include— 

21 (i) paper that is commonly recycled; 

22 or 

23 (ii) unsegregated solid waste. 

24 (3) IMPACTED COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘im25 pacted community’’ means a population living in 

26 close proximity to a source of pollution. 


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1 (4) LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMIS2 SIONS.—The term ‘‘lifecycle greenhouse gas emis3 sions’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

4 211(o)(1) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 

5 7545(o)(1)). 

6 (5) SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD.—The term 

7 ‘‘Science Advisory Board’’ means the Science Advi8 sory Board established under section 8(a) of the En9 vironmental Research, Development, and Dem10 onstration Authorization Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 

11 4365(a)). 

12 SEC. 3. LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ASSESS13 MENT. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—When promulgating any relevant 

15 rules and regulations, the Administrator shall assess and 

16 take into account the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions 

17 associated with the production of electricity from forest 

18 biomass. 

19 (b) REQUIREMENT.—In conducting the assessment 

20 under subsection (a), the Administrator shall account for 

21 the full impact on lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from 

22 the combustion of forest biomass used to generate elec23 tricity. 


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1 SEC. 4. EVALUATING OTHER IMPACTS OF THE FOREST BIO2 MASS INDUSTRY. 

3 (a) STUDY.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

5 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 

6 shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy 

7 and the Secretary of Agriculture, carry out a study 

8 to identify and assess the impacts of forest biomass 

9 electricity production on impacted communities lo10 cated close to facilities that produce wood pellets 

11 from forest biomass, forest biomass power facilities, 

12 and active forest biomass harvesting areas. 

13 (2) INCLUSION.—In carrying out the study 

14 under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall— 

15 (A) evaluate— 

16 (i) the sources of, exposures to, and 

17 impacts of noise, dust, and air pollutants 

18 regulated under the Clean Air Act (42 

19 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), including criteria air 

20 pollutants and hazardous air pollutants, 

21 that originate directly from forest biomass 

22 pellet mills and processing operations on 

23 the premises of facilities described in para24 graph (1); and 


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1 (ii) other upstream impacts from out2 side of the premises of those facilities, such 

3 as harvesting and trucking; and 

4 (B) collect data, including data on cumu5 lative impacts, on impacted communities within 

6 the geographic areas impacted by upstream and 

7 downstream emissions from facilities described 

8 in paragraph (1), including— 

9 (i) air quality measurements from 

10 those industrial sites and within those im11 pacted communities; 

12 (ii) the race and socioeconomic status 

13 of individuals within those impacted com14 munities; and 

15 (iii) with respect to forest biomass 

16 pellet mills, data on compliance with appli17 cable statutes and any penalties applied for 

18 violations of those statutes. 

19 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 

20 on which the study carried out under subsection (a)(1) 

21 is completed, the Administrator shall— 

22 (1) submit to the Committee on Environment 

23 and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee 

24 on Energy and Commerce of the House of RepVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:36 Jul 19, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8618.IH H8618

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1 resentatives a report describing the results of the 

2 study; and 

3 (2) submit the report under paragraph (1) to 

4 the Science Advisory Board to further inform the 

5 study of forest biomass associated with electricity 

6 generation. 

Æ 


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