Defenders' Experts
General Principles for Biomass Energy Production
Be Greenhouse-Gas Neutral or Positive
Total energy used to grow, process, transport and distribute biofuel products must be less than the energy produced by them.
Not reduce Native Habitat
Given that potential land acreage requirements for biomass energy are enormous, limitations must be in place to prevent harvest or conversion for bioenergy production of habitat for native species.
Maintain the Environmental Gains of the Development of No-Till Agriculture
No-till agricultural practices have yielded tremendous benefits in reduction of soil erosion and improvement of water quality. No-till fields should not be tilled to plant energy crops.
Utilize Agricultural Waste Appropriately
Crop residues: materials that would be disposed of are acceptable as biomass fuel; materials that would have remained in place for soil holding or composting/ nutrient return should not be used as biomass fuel. Animal wastes: biomass energy policies must not provide financial incentives for CAFOs or increase their ability to drive their neighbors out of business or expand at the expense of local communities, water and air quality, or land values.
Avoid Perverse Incentives for Forest Stewardship
Biomass policies should not encourage logging or road building in National Forests, or provide incentives for increased logging on private forest lands.
Maintain Air and Water Quality
Subsidies for transportation fuels must be geared towards improving air quality. Biomass energy crops must be grown and harvested in a way that embodies best stewardship practices to maintain or improve air and water quality.
Contain Adequate Regulatory Safeguards With Respect to Biotechnology
The proliferation of genetically modified organisms (corn, dedicated bioenergy crops, etc.) in agriculture and ecosystems is potentially problematic. The use of genetically modified organisms in enclosed or anaerobic processes is probably less problematic.
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