Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of the Maine Biomass Industry
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1693
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: GIDEON, BURNS, ALLEY, HIGGINS, MAKER, SAUCIER, TUELL, EDGECOMB, PATRICK

Legislative Document 
No. 1693 
H.P. 1158 
House of Representatives, April 1, 2016 
Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Study the Economic, 
Environmental and Energy Benefits of the Maine Biomass Industry 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative GIDEON of Freeport. 
Cosponsored by Senator BURNS of Washington and 
Representatives: ALLEY of Beals, HIGGINS of Dover-Foxcroft, MAKER of Calais, 
McCABE of Skowhegan, SAUCIER of Presque Isle, TUELL of East Machias, Senators: 
EDGECOMB of Aroostook, PATRICK of Oxford. 
Sec. 1.  Commission to Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy 
Benefits of the Maine Biomass Industry established.  Resolved:  That the 
Commission to Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of the Maine 
Biomass Industry, referred to in this resolve as "the commission," is established; and be it 
further 
Sec. 2.  Membership.  Resolved:  That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the 
commission consists of 15 members appointed as follows: 
1.  Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, including a 
member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature; 
2.  Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 
House, including a member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats 
in the Legislature; 
3.  Four members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows: 
A.  A commercial wood harvester who supplies biomass; 
B.  A representative of the biomass electric industry; 
C.  A representative of a sawmill located in the State; and 
D.  A scientist from the University of Maine who studies forest health and 
silviculture; 
4.  Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows: 
A.  A representative of a conservation organization; 
B.  A representative of a pulp and paper manufacturer located in the State; 
C.  A representative of commercial timber holdings in the State; and 
D.  A representative of a business that uses biomass for thermal generation or 
cogeneration or an expert in the use of biomass energy for thermal generation or 
cogeneration; 
5.  The Director of the Efficiency Maine Trust or the director's designee; and 
6.  The chair of the Public Utilities Commission or the chair's designee; and be it 
further 
Sec. 3.  Commission chairs.  Resolved:  That the first-named Senator is the 
Senate chair of the commission and the first-named member of the House of 
Representatives is the House chair of the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 4.  Appointments; convening of commission.  Resolved:  That all 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve.  The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 
Council once all appointments have been made.  When the appointment of all members 
has been completed, the chairs of the commission shall call and convene the first meeting 
of the commission.  If 30 days or more after the effective date of this resolve a majority 
of but not all appointments have been made, the chairs may request authority and the 
Legislative Council may grant authority for the commission to meet and conduct its 
business; and be it further 
Sec. 5.  Duties.  Resolved:  That the commission shall: 
1.  Review and evaluate the economic, environmental and energy benefits of Maine's 
biomass resources, as well as public policy and economic proposals to create and 
maintain a sustainable future for the Maine biomass industry; 
2.  Consider the interconnection of economic markets for biomass and forest products 
and the energy policy of the State; 
3.  Consider whether the environmental, economic and energy benefits of biomass 
support updating the State's energy policy to strengthen and increase the role that biomass 
and the forest products industry play throughout the State; 
4.  Consider the costs of implementing any recommendations and the effect of 
leaving current policies in place; and 
5.  Examine any other issues to further the purposes of the study. 
In conducting the duties under this section, the commission shall seek public input 
from individuals, loggers, landowners, the forest products industry, consumers of biomass 
resources, biomass energy generators and municipal and economic development officials 
from communities supported by biomass and forest products and shall consult and 
collaborate with stakeholders and experts in the fields of economic development, natural 
resources and energy policy; and be it further 
Sec. 6.  Meetings.  Resolved:  That the commission shall hold at least 4 meetings; 
and be it further 
Sec. 7.  Staff assistance.  Resolved:  That the Legislative Council shall provide 
staffing services to the commission except that the commission shall employ a 3rd party 
to help with data collection, research and best practices and to develop policy 
recommendations in collaboration with the commission.  The commission may invite the 
Department of Economic and Community Development, the Public Utilities Commission, 
the Office of the Public Advocate, the Governor's Energy Office, the Efficiency Maine 
Trust, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and other appropriate 
agencies of State Government to provide additional staff support or assistance to the 
commission.  Funding for the commission must be derived from federal funds provided 
by the United States Department of Energy to the Governor's Energy Office; and be it 
further 
Sec. 8.  Report.  Resolved:  That the commission shall submit a report and any 
suggested implementing legislation for presentation to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Energy, Utilities and Technology and the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, 
Conservation and Forestry no later than December 6, 2016. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve establishes the Commission to Study the Economic, Environmental and 
Energy Benefits of the Maine Biomass Industry.  Membership of the commission consists 
of, among others, Legislators, a wood harvester and representatives of the biomass energy 
generation industry, a sawmill, the pulp and paper industry and users of biomass energy.  
The commission is required to examine and evaluate the economic, environmental and 
energy benefits of Maine's biomass resources, as well as public policy and economic 
proposals to create and maintain a sustainable future for the Maine biomass industry, and 
determine whether the environmental, economic and energy benefits of biomass support 
updating the State's energy policy to strengthen and increase the role that biomass and the 
forest products industry play throughout the State.  The commission is required to report 
the results of its study and any recommendations by December 6, 2016 to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology and the Joint Standing 
Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.