R.I. House passes bill creating biofuel board

PROVIDENCE – The House this month approved legislation establishing a commission to study the use of biofuels in the state.
The legislation would create a study commission to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of incentives promoting both the development and use of advanced biofuels in the state.
According to a news release, the incentives could include production credits, the production and harvesting of woody biomass or woody residue, feedstock incentives and direct consumer credits for the use of biofuels.
If approved by the Senate, the 15-member Biofuels Study Commission would be charged with developing a plan to increase the use of biofuels by the state, its agencies and political subdivisions and regional transit authorities.
It would be comprised of five members of the House, three members of the Senate, the director of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management or a designee, one representative employed by an independent organization in the field of the environment and fuels, the director of the R.I. Office of Energy Resources or a designee, three employees of companies in the field of advanced biofuels, and one member of the University of Rhode Island cooperative-extension program. &#8226