Pellet Mill Press - June 2, 2020

EPA opens comment period on wood heater proposal The EPA has opened a public comment period on a proposed rule that aims to allow retailers the opportunity to recover sales opportunities lost to the COVID-19 pandemic for wood heating appliances that meet Step 1 requirements under the 2015 NSPS. READ MORE SHARE
Senate hearing addresses wood stoves, RFS and biomass neutrality The U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to extend the sales deadline for Step 1 wood heaters, rulemaking to classify biomass as carbon neutral and issues associated with the RFS and SREs were among the topics discussed during a May 20 Senate hearing. READ MORE SHARE
	$15 million rail link helps Drax reduce emissions, biomass costs A one-year old rail link has increased capacity to deliver more sustainable biomass from Drax’s LaSalle BioEnergy pellet plant in Urania, Louisiana, to its U.K. power station, taking thousands of trucks off local roads. READ MORE SHARE
USIPA: EU recognizes biomass is integral to energy transition The U.S. Industrial Pellet Association has welcomed the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which acknowledges that sustainable biomass will be integral to achieving Europe’s carbon reduction and biodiversity goals. READ MORE SHARE
Report: Fossil fuel use falls in UK electric sector U.K. electricity generation from fossil fuels fell by 25 percent between the first quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020—the largest fall on record, according to data released in the latest in the Drax Electric Insights report. READ MORE SHARE
Pellet production in Finland falls, consumption remains flat The National Resources Institute of Finland recently released data showing a total of 363,000 metric tons of wood pellets were produced in the country last year, down approximately 6 percent when compared to 2018. READ MORE SHARE
EPA proposal aims to improve transparency of guidance documents The EPA has released a proposed rule that aims to establish consistent requirements and procedures for the issuance of guidance documents. The agency said the rule will increase transparency and improve its process for managing guidance documents. READ MORE SHARE
Renewable energy advisory committee to meet June 4 The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration has announced the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting via WebEX on June 4. The meeting will be the final of REEEAC's current term. READ MORE SHARE
Biogenic CO2 Coalition asks EPA to reconsider delay in rulemaking The Biogenic CO2 Coalition released a video on May 27 highlighting the need for a rulemaking to clarify the de minimis character of biogenic carbon emissions from the processing of annual agricultural crops. READ MORE SHARE