Notice of Public Meeting on California's
Bioenergy Action Plan

Workshop Documents

The Bioenergy Interagency Working Group (Working Group) is conducting a public meeting to solicit stakeholder and public comments on any outstanding issues relating to California's Bioenergy Action Plan, which was released by the Governor on July 25, 2006. Commissioner James D. Boyd, who chairs the Working Group, will chair this public meeting. Other commissioners may attend and participate in this workshop.

MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2007
9:30 a.m.
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street
First Floor, Hearing Room A
Sacramento, California
(Wheelchair Accessible)

Audio from this meeting will be broadcast over the Internet.
For details, please go to:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/webcast/

To participate in the meeting by phone,
please call 888-495-9739 by 9:30 a.m.
Passcode: BIOENERGY Call Leader: Susan Brown

Purpose

The purpose of this public meeting is to solicit public and stakeholder comments on existing barriers and possible solutions to advancing sustainable bioenergy development in California. On July 25, 2006, the Governor released the State of California's Bioenergy Action (Plan), which is the subject of this workshop. While progress is being made in achieving the state's commitments outlined in the Plan, more work is needed to achieve the state's bioenergy production and use targets.

At the meeting, representatives of the nine state agencies that comprise the Working Group will review progress being made by the State of California in achieving the objectives of the Governor's Executive Order S-06-06 on Biomass, which was issued on April 25, 2006. This Executive Order established targets for the production and use of biofuels and biopower, and directed state agencies with important biomass connections to work together to advance biomass programs in California, while providing environmental protection and mitigation.

Nine state agencies comprise the Working Group, including the California Public Utilities Commission, Energy Commission, Department of Food and Agriculture, Air Resources Board, Department of Fire and Forestry Protection, State Water Resources Control Board, and the Integrated Waste Management Board, along with the California Resources Agency and California Environmental Protection Agency. Representatives of these agencies will be present at the workshop and will discuss their progress in carrying out the actions and milestones in California's Bioenergy Action Plan.

Background

The Energy Commission's 2005 Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) found that California has vast, abundant and untapped biomass resources which can serve as feedstock to support greater use of electric power, fuels and chemicals, and the production of valuable co-products. Use of California's biomass resources can solve two problems: addressing disposal of agricultural, forestry and urban wastes, and mitigating the environmental effects of increased fire risk, air pollution, and global climate change.

With the issuance of Executive Order S-06-06, the Governor directed the Secretary for Resources Agency and the Chair of the Energy Commission to coordinate oversight of efforts made by state agencies to promote the use of biomass resources. More specifically, the Order asked the Energy Commission to report through its IEPR, and biannually thereafter, on progress made in achieving sustainable biomass development in California.

Furthermore, the Executive Order directed the Air Resources Board to consider the most flexible possible use of biofuels in its Rulemaking to Update the Predictive Model and Specification for Reformulated Gasoline. The Order also requested the California Public Utilities Commission to initiate a proceeding or build upon an existing proceeding to encourage sustainable use of biomass and other renewable resources by the state's utilities.

Consistent with the Executive Order, the Working Group has been meeting regularly to carry out an integrated and comprehensive state policy on biomass, which recognizes the substantial public benefits of using agricultural, forestry and urban residues as a source of biomass power, biogas, and biofuels for California. This public meeting will provide a forum for state agencies to report on the efforts of the Working Group and seek input from outside parties on what additional actions should be taken by both government and the private sector to address emerging issues.

Background materials, including copies of the Governor's Executive Order S-06-06, the State of California's Bionergy Action Plan, a consultant report by Navigant Consulting, Inc., on Recommendations for a Bioenergy Plan for California, and a Report by the California Biomass Collaborative titled A Preliminary Roadmap for the Development of Biomass in California, are available on the Energy Commission's web page at: http://www.energy.state.ca.us/bioenergy_action_plan/. To receive new information, please subscribe to the list server located at http://www.energy.ca.gov/listservers/index.html.

Written Comments

The Members of the Working Group are seeking the active participation of interested parties in this public meeting. The Working Group encourages interested parties to present their views either orally at the workshop or through written comments. The Working Group will take general comment from the public immediately following presentations by the Members.

Written comments on the consultant report and workshop materials must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on June 29, 2007. Include docket number No. 06-BAP-1 and indicate Bioenergy Action Plan in the subject line or first paragraph of your comments. The Energy Commission encourages comments by e-mail. Please include your name or organization in the name of the file. Those submitting comments by electronic mail should provide them in either Microsoft Word format or as a Portable Document File (PDF) to docket@energy.state.ca.us.

One paper copy must also be sent to the Energy Commission's Docket Unit. If the original is more than 20 pages, please also provide 10 paper copies to:

California Energy Commission
Dockets Office, MS-4
Re: Docket No. 06-BAP-1
1516 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-5512

Participants may also provide the original and 10 copies at the beginning of the workshop. All written materials relating to this workshop will be filed with the Dockets Unit and become part of the public record in this proceeding.

Public Participation

The Energy Commission's Public Adviser's Office provides the public assistance in participating in Energy Commission activities. If you want information on how to participate in this forum, please contact the Public Adviser's Office at (916) 654-4489 or toll-free at (800) 822-6228, by FAX at (916) 654-4493, or by e-mail at pao@energy.state.ca.us. If you have a disability and require assistance to participate in this hearing, please contact Lou Quiroz at (916) 654-5146 at least five days in advance.

Please direct all news media inquiries to Claudia Chandler, Assistant Executive Director at (916) 654-4989 or by e-mail at mediaoffice@energy.state.ca.us. Questions regarding the Bioenergy Action Plan should be directed to Susan J. Brown, Special Advisor to Commissioner Boyd at (916) 654-4741 or by e-mail at sbrown@energy.state.ca.us. For technical questions regarding the subject matter of this workshop, please contact Valentino Tiangco by phone at (916) 654-4664 or by e-mail at vtiangco@energy.state.ca.us.

Date: May 7, 2007

James D. Boyd, Commissioner and Chair Bioenergy Interagency Working Group

Note: California Energy Commission's formal name is State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.