Emissions testing on commercial and industrial combustion units to learn more about the emissions of wood-fired facilities is scheduled for 1997. To limit the impacts of whole-tree chipping, the Agency's Division of Forests has developed rules requiring harvest plans. The state's Acceptable Management Practices, which protect surface water quality, apply to these harvests, just as they apply to all other forest harvesting in Vermont. A coalition of businesses and government agencies in 1996 broke ground on an experimental, large-scale biomass gasification plant in Burlington which may affect global biomass energy development. The unit is expected to provide clean and efficient combustion of several biomass fuels, including wood, sugar cane stalks, and switchgrass.
Water is also an integral component of a vibrant economy.
In Vermont, its use is greatest in the production of energy. In-stream hydroelectric use is 17 billion gallons per day, while thermoelectric plants, such as Vermont Yankee, withdraw an estimated 519 million gallons daily. This water serves the present power and energy needs of Vermonters and is critical for future economic growth and an improved standard of living. Water use is linked directly to Vermont's economic activities in other ways. Our industries use an estimated 44 million gallons per day for cooling, washing, fabrication, and processing, along with lumber and wood production.