[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 74 (Monday, May 17, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S3833]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BAUCUS (for himself, Mr. Crapo, and Mr. Tester):
  S. 3381. A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to modify certain 
definitions of the term ``renewable biomass'', and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation with 
my colleagues Senator Crapo and Senator Tester that will establish a 
single definition of renewable biomass for the purposes of the 
Renewable Fuel Standard, RFS, a future Renewable Electricity Standard, 
RES, and climate change legislation.
  When I travel back to my hometown of Helena, MT, trees that line the 
roads there are turning red. Mountain pine beetles are killing 
Montana's trees at a terrible rate. Our legendary harsh winters once 
were enough to keep the beetles at bay, but no longer. Global warming 
has literally hit home for me. These thousands of acres of red, dead 
trees are virtually worthless under current law, serving as little more 
than kindling for wildfires.
  This bill can help add value to this biomass while also creating a 
source of renewable domestic energy. It will establish a simple, broad, 
single definition for renewable biomass that is consistent with current 
law--the 2008 Farm Bill.
  Some say this definition is too broad and fails to protect 
ecologically sensitive areas. In fact, there are many laws that dictate 
Federal forest management, and my amendment does nothing to change 
these laws. All projects that would create biomass due to my amendment 
would have to comply with the National Forest Management Act, the 
Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and 
others.
  All projects on federal forests must go through NEPA where the land 
management agency must study potential environmental impacts and 
mitigate those impacts. The public has many opportunities to comment 
and shape these projects and nothing in my amendment changes these 
safeguards. Further, my amendment would do nothing to change designated 
Wilderness areas or Wilderness Study Areas or otherwise weaken the 
Wilderness Act.
  Right now our national forests are growing 20 billion board feet per 
year. Eight billion board feet die every year and only two million 
board feet are removed. This has resulted in overstocked, unhealthy 
forests. We can either restore forest health, produce renewable energy 
and local high-wage jobs, or we can allow nature to impose its own will 
through wildfire and infestation.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I look forward 
to working with them to enact this bill this year.

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