The forest products industry relies on trees to make our products and uses biomass residuals to power our facilities and supply electricity to the grid. Although the EPA has indicated that wood-derived by-products used to power forest products mills are carbon neutral, we need certainty that the EPA will exempt biogenic CO2 from regulation.
Around the world, the carbon neutrality of forest products manufacturing residuals has been recognized repeatedly by studies, agencies and legislation, including guidance from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
As many of us know, trees absorb CO2 as they grow, removing it from the atmosphere. However, when coupled with long-term carbon storage in wood products, the forest-to-products cycle remains a net carbon sink.
The use of biomass residuals and the continuous planting of trees have produced a sustainable industry that has seen net increases in forest stocks over the last half-century.
The PPRC recommends:
- Ensuring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Energy (DOE) deregulate biogenic CO2.
