Bill Text: GA SR579 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
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-Enrolled.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
ADOPTED
SENATE
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.
