A comprehensive guide to biomass legislation for each state in the country as of 2008 has been released by the University of Minnesota's Department of Forest Resources. The database compiles a wide number of policy initiatives that have been implemented in recent years to address particular challenges with using woody biomass, which can make significant contributions to renewable energy production, wildfire risk reduction, and enhancement of forest health.

Woody biomass utilization can also provide economic and community development opportunities. Consequently, a number of policy initiatives have been implemented in recent years at both the federal and state level to address particular challenges with using woody biomass.

The range of policies that exists details how to encourage the removal of biomass from forests and subsequent utilization in the production of bioproducts. The state policies identified in the guide attempt to address particular challenges with local utilization whether it is the cost of biomass harvesting, handling and transportation, or manufacturing and consumer markets. A wealth of technical knowledge and experience exists within the states, but little is known among them about their particular approaches.

Each policy included in this report provides a particular type of incentive related to forest biomass removal or forest products utilization. There exists overlap with other industrial sectors like agriculture or energy production but each policy is explicitly relevant to woody biomass utilization. Each policy is also uniquely intended for a particular audience in order to help them overcome local utilization challenges or to create related forest management or economic development opportunities. As such, a great variety of policy incentives are relevant to woody biomass utilization that are not captured in existing databases.

To read and download a copy of the report, go to http://www.forestry.umn.edu/publications/staffpapers/Staffpaper199.pdf .

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