I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8618 
To require the Environmental Protection Agency to assess the lifecycle green-
house gas emissions associated with forest biomass combustion for elec-
tricity 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Forest Biomass Emis-
sions Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) FOREST BIOMASS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘forest bio-
mass’’ 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 bio-
mass’’ does not include— 
(i) paper that is commonly recycled; 
or 
(ii) unsegregated solid waste. 
(3) IMPACTED
COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘im-
pacted community’’ means a population living in 
close proximity to a source of pollution. 
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(4) 
LIFECYCLE
GREENHOUSE
GAS
EMIS-
SIONS.—The term ‘‘lifecycle greenhouse gas emis-
sions’’ 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 Advi-
sory Board established under section 8(a) of the En-
vironmental Research, Development, and Dem-
onstration Authorization Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 
4365(a)). 
SEC. 3. LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ASSESS-
MENT. 
(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 elec-
tricity. 
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SEC. 4. EVALUATING OTHER IMPACTS OF THE FOREST BIO-
MASS 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 lo-
cated 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 para-
graph (1); and 
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(ii) other upstream impacts from out-
side of the premises of those facilities, such 
as harvesting and trucking; and 
(B) collect data, including data on cumu-
lative 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 im-
pacted communities; 
(ii) the race and socioeconomic status 
of individuals within those impacted com-
munities; and 
(iii) with respect to forest biomass 
pellet mills, data on compliance with appli-
cable 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 Rep-
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