Florida Forestry Association, WHAT WE DO: Legislative Updates

WHAT WE DO:

Legislative Updates

Jul 1, 2009 July is the Month for Renewable Energy Grants

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Energy Funding Opportunities

As American’s continue to insists on energy independence, the federal government continues to respond. The following is a list of current funding opportunities available through federal agencies:

Renewables and Energy Efficiency Improvements
The USDA requests proposals for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements. This program will provide support to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. $51.6 million expected to be available, up to 1,100 awards anticipated. Responses due 7/31/09. For more info go to: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-12178.pdf.

Renewable Energy Feasibility Studies
The USDA requests proposals for Renewable Energy Feasibility Grants. This program will provide support to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy systems. $6 million expected to be available, up to 150 awards anticipated. Responses due 7/31/09. For more info go to: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=47628&mode=VIEW.

Demonstration of Integrated Biorefinery Operations - Recovery Act
The U.S. Department of Energy requests proposals for Demonstration of Integrated Biorefinery Operations. Through this RFP, DOE will select integrated biorefinery projects that have the necessary technical and economic performance data that validates their readiness for the next level of scale-up. $480 million expected to be available, up to 15 awards anticipated. Responses due 6/30/09. For more info go to: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=47227.

Agriculture-Based Green Workforce Development
The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals for the New Era Rural Technology Competitive Grants Program (RTP). This program supports technology development, applied research, and/or training, with a focus on rural communities, to aid in the development of a workforce for bioenergy, pulp and paper manufacturing, or agriculture-based renewable energy. $750K expected to be available, up to 25 awards anticipated. Responses due 7/20/09. For more info go to: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/new_era.html.

Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP)
BCAP was authorized by Section 9011 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. The purpose of the program is to: support the establishment and production of eligible crops for the conversion to bioenergy, and assist agricultural and forest land owner and operators and persons with the right to collect eligible material with the collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of eligible material for use in biomass conversion facilities. A Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for BCAP’s CHST payments program is posted at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=ener&topic=bcap.

New Department of Energy (DoE) energy and conservation program grants are available. Click here for more information.

Renewable biomass definition

Legislation establishing a cap and trade program on climate change emissions and investing in renewable energy sources and carbon sequestration has passed the U.S. House of Representatives. While the Association offered no position on the bill as a whole, our members were very supportive of a key amendment to broaden the definition of renewable biomass to enable landowner access to emerging energy markets. In addition, we also supported improvements in residues and byproducts from wood, pulp or paper products facillities. The final version of HR 2454 renewable biomass defnition is provide here.

Transportation Reform

The Association has developed a quick letter for fax or email that will make it easy for our members to notify Congress and seek sponsorship support for HR 1799. Follow this link to the document and let Representative BOYD, BROWN and MICA hear from the forestry community.

For a complete list of Congress FAX numbers and email addresses click here.

Federal legislation - H.R. 1799, the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009. H.R. 1799 would give the option to individual states to increase their allowable weight on a single-trailer truck up to 97,000 pounds on their Interstate highways by adding a sixth axle. Download proposed bill here. Download bill summary here.

Download federal weight talk sheet here.

FOREST TRACK

After nine weeks of lawmaking, in the end it would be what legislators didn't do that turned out to be the real win for Florida’s forest industry. Association Government Relations Director, Alan Shelby has prepared a complete legislative wrap-up of the 2009 Session. Click here for a look at the issues that passed and the long list of those that failed to pass.

Getting Forest Economy Back on Track

The Florida Forestry Association recently prepared a document outlining solutions that lawmakers can implement to boost Florida’s forest economy. A copy of the document is available here.