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In an effort to boost production and use of biomass, including fuels and chemicals, President Clinton recently signed an Executive Order which calls for a tripling in the use of bioenergy and bio-products by 2010. President Clinton was joined at the signing ceremony by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner, and Indiana Senator Richard Lugar.
The Executive Order establishes an
Interagency Council on Biobased Products and Bioenergy, composed of the
Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, and the Interior, the EPA
Administrator and others. The Council will annually draft astrategic plan for the President outlining
overall national goals in the development and use of bio-based products and
bioenergy and how these goals can best be achieved. It also establishes an
Advisory Committee on Biobased Products and Bioenergy. The Energy Secretary, in
consultation with the other Council members, will appoint 20 members including
representatives of the farm, forestry, chemical manufacturing and energy
sectors, environmental and conservation organizations, the university research
community and other critical sectors.
Indiana Senator
Richard Lugar
Iowa Senator
Tom
Harkin
Finally, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy will establish a joint National Biobased Products and Bioenergy Coordination Office to ensure effective coordination between the two Departments, to implement the strategic plans and provide guidance to the Council.
According to President Clinton, tripling America's use of bioenergy and bio-based products would "generate as much as $20 billion a year in new income for farmers and rural communities, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 100 million tons a year."
"The President's Executive Order offers farmers the chance to grow new and traditional crops, to help meet the nation's growing energy and industrial product needs," said Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. "Biomass has the potential to be a key component of the future of agriculture," added Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. "Rural economies across the country need a boost from new economic activity."
"Given the opportunity for significant benefits in the national interest, we should promote biomass research that will improve our national security and balance of payments, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen our rural economies in America and around the world," said Indiana Senator Richard Lugar.
