DOE Biomass Program at Risk of More Budget Cuts | Article

The House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, marked up its spending bill for fiscal year 2012 (FY 2012) on June 2. The bill would cut overall funding for the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs $491 million (27 percent) below FY 2011 levels. This would follow a cut of $407 million (18 percent) made earlier this year for FY 2011.

The Biomass Program, which is administered by EERE, would be cut $33 million (18 percent) below FY 2011 levels. If enacted, this would represent a total cut over two years of 50 percent below FY 2010 levels, according to the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA). The bill would also cut overall funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which administers funding for the Bioenergy Research Centers, by $43 million (one percent) below FY 2011 levels.

The DOE Biomass Program supports research, development, and demonstration projects on advanced biofuels and biopower. For an overview of the Biomass Multiyear program plan, click here .

The bill will be considered next by the full House Appropriations Committee and then move to the House floor for debate and a vote. The Senate has yet to begin work on its appropriations bills.