A. As used in this section:
1. “Biomass” means bioenergy feedstocks from forest products manufacturing, which may include but not be limited to:
- a. forest products’ manufacturing residuals including but not limited to spent pulping liquors, pulping by-products, woody manufacturing residuals, paper recycling residuals, wastewater and process water treatment plant residuals, and anaerobic digester biogas,
- b. harvest residues, including trees or portions of harvested trees that are too small or too poor of quality to be utilized for wood or paper products,
- c. downed wood from extreme weather events or natural disasters, nonhazardous landscape or right-of-way trimmings and municipal trimmings, and plant material removed for purposes of invasive or noxious plant species control,
- d. biowaste, including landfill gas,
- e. forest biomass derived from residues created as a by-product of timber harvesting,
- f. forest management activities conducted for strand improvement or to increase yield, ecological restoration, or to maintain or enhance forest health,
- g. biomass materials recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as fuels under 40 CFR part 241.4, and
- h. other used wood products, such as crates or pallets;
2. “Bagasse biomass” means the solid, heterogeneous, and fibrous agricultural waste that remains after extracting the liquid from sugarcane stalks. Such waste may derive from:
- a. factory bagasse, obtained from the industrial extraction process, containing only trace amounts of sugarcane liquid, or
- b. pressed cane stalks or farm bagasse, obtained from on-farm or small factory extraction, containing comparatively higher amounts of sugarcane liquid; and
- 3. “Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage” means the process of capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide from biomass energy generation.
- B. Energy produced from bioenergy feedstocks from forest products manufacturing shall be considered renewable and carbon neutral. When bioenergy is paired with carbon capture and storage, as described in paragraph 3 of subsection A of this section, such energy shall be considered carbon negative.
- C. Energy produced from agricultural harvesting, including bagasse produced from sugarcane processing shall be considered renewable and carbon neutral. When paired with carbon capture technologies, as defined in paragraph 3 of subsection A of this section, such energy shall be considered carbon negative.
Laws 2023, SB 19, c. 21, § 1, eff. November 1, 2023.