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Montana Public Invited to Comment on Potential Biomass Legislation

The state Environmental Quality Council is seeking public comment through Aug. 25 on two proposals related to the use of biomass for energy production.

The bipartisan council, made up of legislators and representatives of the Governor’s Office and the public, has been studying biomass for more than a year. It was directed to do the study by the 2009 Legislature through the enactment of House Joint Resolution 1.

Based on the information the council has gathered and the public testimony it has heard, it has identified two possible pieces of biomass legislation that it wishes to propose during the 2011 session. They are:

* LC 7000: To clarify the powers of the state Board of Environmental Review related to air quality permitting and rulemaking for wood chippers and grinders

* LC 7002: To separate renewable energy credits from renewable electricity requirements under Montana’s renewable energy portfolio standard

Copies of the bill drafts are available for review at http://www.leg.mt.gov/eqc under "Publications."

The EQC will meet Sept. 13-14 in Helena to review the comments it gets and to hear from anyone else who wants to comment. It will decide at that meeting whether to pursue the legislation.

Comments should be directed to Sonja Nowakowski, EQC staff, at [email protected] (put biomass in the subject line) or to Legislative Environmental Policy Office, Attn. Sonja Nowakowski, P.O. Box 201704, Helena, MT 59620-1704.

For further information, contact Nowakowski at 406-444-3078.

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