RCW 43.30.835
Forest biomass demonstration projects.
(1) The department may develop and implement forest biomass energy demonstration projects, one east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and one west of the crest of the Cascade mountains. The demonstration projects must be designed to:
(a) Reveal the utility of Washington's public and private forest biomass feedstock;
(b) Create green jobs and generate renewable energy;
(c) Generate revenues or improve asset values for beneficiaries of state lands and state forestlands;
(d) Improve forest health, reduce pollution, and restore ecological function; and
(e) Avoid interfering with the current working area for forest biomass collection surrounding an existing fixed location biomass energy production site.
(2) To develop and implement the forest biomass energy demonstration projects, the department may form forest biomass energy partnerships or cooperatives.
(3) The forest biomass energy partnerships or cooperatives are encouraged to be public-private partnerships focused on convening the entities necessary to grow, harvest, process, transport, and utilize forest biomass to generate renewable energy. Particular focus must be given to recruiting and employing emerging technologies that can locally process forest biomass feedstock to create local green jobs and reduce transportation costs.
(4) The forest biomass energy partnerships or cooperatives may include, but are not limited to: Entrepreneurs or organizations developing and operating emerging technology to process forest biomass; industrial electricity producers; contractors capable of providing the local labor needed to collect, process, and transport forest biomass feedstocks; tribes; federal land management agencies; county, city, and other local governments; the *department of community, trade, and economic development; state trust land managers; an organization dedicated to protecting and strengthening the jobs, rights, and working conditions of Washington's working families; accredited research institution representatives; an industrial timberland manager; a small forestland owner; and a not-for-profit conservation organization.
[ 2009 c 163 § 2.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note: The "department of community, trade, and economic development" was renamed the "department of commerce" by 2009 c 565.
Findings—Intent—2009 c 163: "The legislature finds that forest biomass is an abundant and renewable by-product of Washington's forestland management. Forest biomass can be utilized to generate clean renewable energy.
In some Washington forests, residual forest biomass is burned on-site or left to decompose. The lack of forest products markets in some areas means that standing forest biomass removed for forest health and wildfire risk reduction treatments must occur at substantial cost. Utilizing forest biomass to generate energy can reduce the greenhouse gases emitted by burning forest biomass.
The legislature further finds that the emerging forest biomass energy economy is challenged by: Not having a reliable supply of predictably priced forest biomass feedstock; shipping and processing costs; insufficient forest biomass processing infrastructure; and feedstock demand.
The legislature finds that making use of the state's forest biomass resources for energy production may generate new revenues or increase asset values of state lands and state forestlands, protect forestland of all ownerships from severe forest health problems, stimulate Washington's economy, create green jobs, and reduce Washington's dependence on foreign oil.
It is the intent of the legislature to support forest biomass demonstration projects that employ promising processing technologies. The demonstration projects must emphasize public and private forest biomass feedstocks that are generated as by-products of current forest practices. The project must reveal ways to overcome the current impediments to the developing forest biomass energy economy, and ways to realize ecologically sustainable outcomes from that development." [ 2009 c 163 § 1.]
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Title 43 - State Government—Executive
Chapter 43.30 - Department of Natural Resources.
43.30.030 - Department created.
43.30.035 - Environmental justice obligations of the department of natural resources.
43.30.055 - Employees—Applicability of merit system.
43.30.105 - Administrator of department.
43.30.111 - Local wildland fire liaison.
43.30.155 - Supervisor of natural resources—Appointment.
43.30.205 - Board of natural resources—Composition.
43.30.215 - Powers and duties of board.
43.30.225 - Board's duties—Meetings—Organization.
43.30.291 - Board on geographic names—Created—Duties.
43.30.292 - Board on geographic names—Committee on geographic names—Committee membership.
43.30.293 - Committee on geographic names—Meetings—Rules—Reports and recommendations.
43.30.295 - Board on geographic names—Administrative services—Custodian of records.
43.30.305 - Natural resources equipment fund—Authorized—Purposes—Expenditure.
43.30.315 - Natural resources equipment fund—Reimbursement.
43.30.325 - Deposit of money and fees—Natural resources deposit fund—Repayments.
43.30.340 - Federal funds for management and protection of forests, forest and range lands.
43.30.360 - Clarke-McNary fund.
43.30.370 - Cooperative farm forestry funds.
43.30.385 - Parkland trust revolving fund.
43.30.411 - Department to exercise powers and duties—Indemnification of private parties.
43.30.440 - Oaths may be administered by supervisor and deputies.
43.30.450 - Right of entry in course of duty by representatives of department.
43.30.480 - Watershed restoration projects—Permit processing.
43.30.490 - Cost-reimbursement agreements.
43.30.510 - Administrator may designate substitute for member of board, commission, etc.
43.30.530 - Real property—Services and facilities available to other state agencies, cost.
43.30.540 - Acting as harbor line commission.
43.30.545 - Washington conservation corps.
43.30.555 - Geoduck harvest safety committee.
43.30.560 - Geoduck diver safety program—Rule-making authority—Limitation on civil suit or action.
43.30.565 - Transfer of ownership of department-owned vessel—Review of vessel's physical condition.
43.30.570 - Transfer of ownership of department-owned vessel—Further requirements.
43.30.575 - Wildfire areas—Funding wildfire risk reduction in certain counties.
43.30.580 - Wildland urban interface areas—Grant program.
43.30.582 - Marbled murrelet conservation strategy—Reports.
43.30.583 - Marbled murrelet advisory committee.
43.30.600 - State geological survey.
43.30.630 - Sealing of open holes and mine shafts.
43.30.640 - Mine owners—Maps of property surface and underground workings—Filing.
43.30.650 - Gifts and bequests relating to mining.
43.30.660 - Collection of minerals for exhibition.
43.30.700 - Powers of department—Forested lands.
43.30.720 - Use of proceeds specified.
43.30.800 - Olympic natural resources center—Finding, intent.
43.30.810 - Olympic natural resources center—Purpose, programs.
43.30.820 - Olympic natural resources center—Administration—Policy advisory board.
43.30.830 - Olympic natural resources center—Funding—Contracts.