Paper, wood products manufacturers file biomass litigation on clean power plan

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman and American Wood Council (AWC) President and CEO Robert Glowinski have issued the following statements after filing a joint petition for review in the D.C. Circuit Court of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) treatment of biomass energy in the final Clean Power Plan.

Donna Harman, President and CEO, AF&PA: “The Clean Power Plan does not put biomass on a level playing field with other renewable energy sources; this litigation will assure that EPA does not improperly constrain states’ ability to take advantage of the important role biomass energy can plan in addressing climate change. Managed properly, biomass-based energy provides carbon-reducing benefits to the atmosphere and should not be treated the same as energy from fossil fuels. Our facilities generate about two-thirds of the energy we use from biomass, primarily residuals that are left over from the manufacturing process, making ours among the most efficient industries in America.”

Robert Glowinski, President and CEO, AWC:
“Our industry strives to be as energy efficient as possible and is one of the leaders nationwide in the use of carbon-neutral biomass energy. Over 75 percent of the energy at our member companies’ wood products facilities is generated from biomass. After reviewing EPA’s Clean Power Plan, it appears that the rule may place unnecessary and inappropriate restrictions on states’ use of biomass energy as part of their plans to reduce CO2 emissions from electric power generation. This litigation seeks to protect biomass energy use as a critical component of renewable power. When biomass is used, it helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.”