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November 4, 2011
A weekly look at sustainable bioenergy, farm, and forest policy issues
Global Population Passes Seven Billion: Will the Next Farm Bill Be Up to the Challenge?
The United Nations estimates that the global population passed seven billion on October 31. Demographers estimate that 2.3 billion more people will be on the planet by 2050. Will there be sufficient food, fiber, renewable energy, and healthy, productive ecosystems to support basic human needs? How will climate change affect agriculture, forestry, and natural ecosystems in the years ahead? A bigger and better farm bill will be needed to address these challenges.
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Bills Introduced to Extend Renewable Energy Production Tax Credits
A chronic concern in the U.S. renewable energy industry has been the lack of a long term commitment by Congress to encourage renewable energy. Short term tax incentives leave little time to develop complex long term projects, and the political uncertainty over whether incentives will be renewed from one year to the next deters financing. For renewable biomass energy, there is an additional concern: the lack of incentive parity with other renewable energy production. Both issues are addressed in recent bills.
Military Advisory Board Urges Action to Cut U.S. Oil Dependence
Biofuel critics and petroleum boosters have been on the rise in Congress –a big change in the political climate from five years ago when the Energy Independence and Security Act was enacted. While the political realities may have changed in Washington, the compelling need to reduce U.S. oil dependence has not. This point is underscored in a recent report from the CNA Military Advisory Board.
USDA Awards $44.6 Million for 156 Advanced Biofuel Projects
Advanced biofuels can be made from “cellulose; crop residues; animal, food and yard waste material; biogas (landfill and sewage waste treatment gas); vegetable oil, and animal fat.” This means that advanced biofuels can be produced from resources that are available in many parts of the country. Hence, projects in 39 states received awards through the USDA’s Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels.
Writer: Ned Stowe
Advancing science-based climate solutions
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