Maine biomass commission first meeting

A special commission formed by the Maine Legislature to study the economic, environmental and energy benefits of the state's biomass industry holds its first meeting this week.

The Maine State House, where the 2016 biomass resolve was enacted.

This spring, the Maine legislature enacted a resolve establishing the Commission to Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of the Maine Biomass Industry. Known as Resolve 2015, chapter 85, the legislation established a study commission to examine the state's biomass energy resources, as well as public policy and economic proposals to create and maintain a sustainable future for the industry.

The Commission to Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of the Maine Biomass Industry holds its first meeting tomorrow.  According to the agenda published for the first meeting, following introductions and a review of the resolve itself, the group will hear presentations from and hold discussion with a variety of people interested in biomass.  Presenters on the agenda include a Commissioner of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, the state's Public Advocate, and the executive director of the Efficiency Maine Trust.  Other speakers represent loggers, the wood pellet fuel industry, users of biomass energy fuels, the pulp and paper industry, and woodlot owners.  The agenda states that the meeting will also include a public comment period.

According to the agenda, possible future meeting dates for the Maine biomass commission include August 16 and August 30, 2016.