Bill Text: GA SR579 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Senate Biomass/Bioenergy Study Committee; create

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-04-01 - Senate Passed/Adopted [SR579 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-SR579-Introduced.html

---

09 LC 25 5583

Senate Resolution 579

By: Senators Tolleson of the 20th, Golden of the 8th, Bulloch of the 11th and Hooks of the 14th

A RESOLUTION

Creating the Senate Biomass/Bioenergy Study Committee; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, bioenergy from forest and agricultural sources is a major economic development opportunity for the State of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, Georgia has some 24 million acres of privately owned forest land available for the production of renewable bioenergy; and

WHEREAS, bioenergy is a distributed business model where many smaller industrial investments will be made throughout rural Georgia and will provide jobs, revenues, energy security, and environmental benefits to all Georgians; and

WHEREAS, Georgia has expertise and strategic strengths in logistic infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, the ability to acquire abundant, high-quality, and cost-effective biomass is a critical consideration in the location and investment decisions for bioenergy production; and

WHEREAS, many producers and suppliers are involved in the biomass supply chain and must be brought together to enhance the development of highly efficient and integrated supply chains; and

WHEREAS, improvements in the supply chain of biomass-to-energy will enhance the competitiveness of many existing industries including the manufacturing of forestry and agricultural equipment, transportation equipment, pulp and paper, and building materials; and

WHEREAS, up to 50 percent of the cost of the delivered cost of biomass for energy production is the logistics and transportation cost of the biomass; and

WHEREAS, up to one third of the cost of bioenergy is due to the delivered cost of the biomass fuel; and

WHEREAS, optimizing the biomass-to-bioenergy supply chain is a major focus of the federal government, which has made available significant resources and funding to assist in this development; and

WHEREAS, the ability for this state to encourage and coordinate and support the development of the most efficient production processing and distribution of biomass will provide the state with a significant strategic advantage in energy security and economic development opportunities.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that there is created the Senate Biomass/Bioenergy Study Committee to be composed of five members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall designate a member of the committee as chairperson of the committee. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to the Senate. In the event the committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or before December 1, 2009. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2009.