SEC. 2. PROMOTION OF USE OF BIOMASS REMOVED 
THROUGH 
HAZARDOUS 
FUEL 
REDUCTION 
PROJECTS AS ENERGY SOURCE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Large-scale insect infestations in several re-
gions of the United States, combined with other fac-
tors, such as accumulation of fuel materials, in-
creased settlement in and near forested areas, and 
prolonged drought, have increased the likelihood of 
unusually severe wildfires that pose a threat to lives 
and property in nearby communities. 
(2) The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 
2003 (Public Law 108–148; 16 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) 
is intended to facilitate removal of biomass from for-
est lands, particularly those located within the 
wildland-urban interface, in order to reduce the fuels 
for severe wildfires. 
(3) Reducing the risk of severe wildfires would 
be further facilitated if the biomass removed in con-
nection with hazardous fuel reduction projects under 
the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 were 
considered a source of renewable fuel for purposes of 
the renewable fuel standard established by subtitle A 
of title II of the Energy Independence and Security 
Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–140). 
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(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to re-
vise the definition of renewable biomass established by sec-
tion 201 of the Energy Independence and Security Act 
of 2007 so as to facilitate and encourage the use of bio-
mass removed from certain additional forest lands as an 
energy source, in order to reduce the risk of severe wildfire 
to communities, infrastructure, and water supplies. 
(c) EXPANSION
OF DEFINITION
OF RENEWABLE 
BIOMASS TO INCLUDE CERTAIN FOREST BIOMASS.—Sub-
paragraph (I) of section 211(o)(1) of the Clean Air Act 
(42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(1)), as amended by section 201 of the 
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public 
Law 110–140; 121 Stat. 1519), is amended by adding at 
the end the following new clause: 
‘‘(viii) Biomass removed in connection 
with an authorized hazardous fuel reduc-
tion project, as defined in paragraph (2) of 
section 101 of the Healthy Forests Res-
toration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511), 
from lands within the wildland-urban inter-
face, as defined in paragraph (16) of such 
section, except that the term— 
‘‘(I) does not include biomass re-
moved from Federal land containing 
old growth forest or late successional 
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forest unless the Secretary of the In-
terior or the Secretary of Agriculture, 
as appropriate, determines that the 
removal of organic material from such 
land is appropriate for the applicable 
forest type and maximizes the reten-
tion of late-successional and large and 
old growth trees, late-successional and 
old growth forest structure, and late- 
successional and old growth forest 
composition; and 
‘‘(II) does not apply to biomass 
removed from Federal land on which 
the removal of vegetation is prohib-
ited, including components of the Na-
tional Wilderness Preservation Sys-
tem, wilderness study areas, inven-
toried roadless areas, components of 
the National Landscape Conservation 
System, units of the National Park 
System, or National Monuments.’’. 
Æ 
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