Senator Reid Introduces “WECHAR” Bill to Develop Biochar Technology
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John
Sep 25, 2009, 7:06:36 PM9/25/09
to PNW Biochar
From IBI --- http://www.biochar-international.org/policy/unitedstates
September 24, 2009: Senator Reid Introduces “WECHAR” Bill to Develop
Biochar Technology
On Thursday, September 24, 2009, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, and
four cosponsors (Senators Max Baucus and John Tester of Montana,
Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, and Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico),
introduced the “Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration
(WECHAR) Act of 2009.” The bill establishes a loan guarantee program
to develop biochar technology, initiates a program of biochar
landscape restoration projects on public land, and authorizes a
competitive grant program to fund research on biochar characteristics,
impacts and economics.
In the face of climate change, drought is an ever growing problem in
the Western US, exacerbated by water-sucking weeds like tamarisk (salt
cedar), which can consume 200 gallons of water a day, per plant. These
invasive weeds, along with other excess biomass in the form of beetle-
killed trees, forests with dangerous fuel loading, and dense pinyon-
juniper thickets that have invaded native sagebrush ecosystems, are
ideal feedstocks for biochar.
In addition to providing loans for technology development and grants
for research, the legislation directs the U.S. Geological Survey to
assess the amount of feedstock in the form of invasive weeds and
hazardous fuels on the public lands, the amount of carbon and biochar
production potential in that feedstock, and the potential for water
savings if it were removed.
Senator Reid’s office indicates that water savings achieved through
the bill could be substantial: “The potential for millions of gallons
in annual water savings from the elimination of water-robbing invasive
tamarisk will be particularly meaningful in Nevada. Elimination of
this scourge in our watersheds can offset a significant portion of our
water needs.”
By using Western invasive weeds and dangerous fuel loads as feedstock
for biochar production, the bill seeks to match undesirable material
on the landscape that would otherwise be expensive to eliminate with a
process that requires a large source of woody material to make
valuable products and provide critical ecosystem services like carbon
sequestration.
Below is a summary of the WECHAR bill. The full text is available
here.
Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration (WECHAR) Act of
2009
Section-by-Section
Sec. 1. Short Title. Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and
Restoration Act of 2009.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec.3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Resource Assessment.
Directs the U.S. Geological Survey to assess the amount of feedstock
in the form of invasive weeds and hazardous fuels on the public lands,
the amount of carbon and biochar production potential in that
feedstock, and the potential for water savings if it were removed.
Sec. 5. Technology Research.
* Directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop loan guarantee programs for development of mobile and fixed
but temporary biochar production technology that can be deployed in
remote locations and use excess biomass as feedstock.
* Identifies that production units produced under these guarantee
programs need to be primarily tasked to work with the Bureau of Land
Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service on invasive
tamarisk in the Mojave Desert, pinyon-juniper buildup in the Great
Basin, and bark beetle-killed trees in the Intermountain West.
* Provides criteria for loan guarantee programs to ensure
appropriate use and protection of funds and likelihood of success of
the ventures accessing the program.
Sec. 6. Existing Technology.
* Directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop loan guarantee programs for construction or acquisition of
existing biochar production technology that can be put directly into
use.
* Identifies that production units produced under these guarantee
programs need to be primarily tasked to work with the Bureau of Land
Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service on invasive
tamarisk in the Mojave Desert, pinyon-juniper buildup in the Great
Basin, and bark beetle-killed trees in the Intermountain West.
* Provides criteria for loan guarantee programs to ensure
appropriate use and protection of funds and likelihood of success of
the ventures accessing the program.
Sec. 7. Deployment.
* Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop 3-year programs for use of the technology developed in section
5, and identifies that initial programs shall be carried out by the
Bureau of Land Management using Great Basin excess pinyon-juniper, by
the National Park Service using Mojave Desert tamarisk, and by the
Forest Service using Intermountain West bark beetle-killed trees.
* Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop plans for use of the technology developed in section 5, and
identifies that these shall use Great Basin excess pinyon-juniper,
Mojave Desert tamarisk, and Intermountain West bark beetle-killed
trees.
Sec. 8. Application and Market Research.
* Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement competitive
grants programs to develop markets for biochar and bioenergy, analyze
the production costs versus the economic benefits of biochar
production, potential performance of biochar production in carbon
sequestration programs, and compares biochar production with other
biofuel production systems.
* Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement competitive
grants programs to perform full environmental review of biochar
production and use, including water savings, environmental benefits of
biochar use in agricultural settings, and any potential adverse
environmental impacts.
* Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement competitive
grants programs to research and analyze potential uses for biochar in
landscape restoration in different ecosystems and soil types.
Sec. 9. Authorization of Appropriations.
Authorizes the appropriation of such funds as are necessary to carry
out sections 4 through 8.
September 24, 2009: Senator Reid Introduces “WECHAR” Bill to Develop
Biochar Technology
On Thursday, September 24, 2009, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, and
four cosponsors (Senators Max Baucus and John Tester of Montana,
Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, and Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico),
introduced the “Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration
(WECHAR) Act of 2009.” The bill establishes a loan guarantee program
to develop biochar technology, initiates a program of biochar
landscape restoration projects on public land, and authorizes a
competitive grant program to fund research on biochar characteristics,
impacts and economics.
In the face of climate change, drought is an ever growing problem in
the Western US, exacerbated by water-sucking weeds like tamarisk (salt
cedar), which can consume 200 gallons of water a day, per plant. These
invasive weeds, along with other excess biomass in the form of beetle-
killed trees, forests with dangerous fuel loading, and dense pinyon-
juniper thickets that have invaded native sagebrush ecosystems, are
ideal feedstocks for biochar.
In addition to providing loans for technology development and grants
for research, the legislation directs the U.S. Geological Survey to
assess the amount of feedstock in the form of invasive weeds and
hazardous fuels on the public lands, the amount of carbon and biochar
production potential in that feedstock, and the potential for water
savings if it were removed.
Senator Reid’s office indicates that water savings achieved through
the bill could be substantial: “The potential for millions of gallons
in annual water savings from the elimination of water-robbing invasive
tamarisk will be particularly meaningful in Nevada. Elimination of
this scourge in our watersheds can offset a significant portion of our
water needs.”
By using Western invasive weeds and dangerous fuel loads as feedstock
for biochar production, the bill seeks to match undesirable material
on the landscape that would otherwise be expensive to eliminate with a
process that requires a large source of woody material to make
valuable products and provide critical ecosystem services like carbon
sequestration.
Below is a summary of the WECHAR bill. The full text is available
here.
Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration (WECHAR) Act of
2009
Section-by-Section
Sec. 1. Short Title. Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and
Restoration Act of 2009.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec.3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Resource Assessment.
Directs the U.S. Geological Survey to assess the amount of feedstock
in the form of invasive weeds and hazardous fuels on the public lands,
the amount of carbon and biochar production potential in that
feedstock, and the potential for water savings if it were removed.
Sec. 5. Technology Research.
* Directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop loan guarantee programs for development of mobile and fixed
but temporary biochar production technology that can be deployed in
remote locations and use excess biomass as feedstock.
* Identifies that production units produced under these guarantee
programs need to be primarily tasked to work with the Bureau of Land
Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service on invasive
tamarisk in the Mojave Desert, pinyon-juniper buildup in the Great
Basin, and bark beetle-killed trees in the Intermountain West.
* Provides criteria for loan guarantee programs to ensure
appropriate use and protection of funds and likelihood of success of
the ventures accessing the program.
Sec. 6. Existing Technology.
* Directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop loan guarantee programs for construction or acquisition of
existing biochar production technology that can be put directly into
use.
* Identifies that production units produced under these guarantee
programs need to be primarily tasked to work with the Bureau of Land
Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service on invasive
tamarisk in the Mojave Desert, pinyon-juniper buildup in the Great
Basin, and bark beetle-killed trees in the Intermountain West.
* Provides criteria for loan guarantee programs to ensure
appropriate use and protection of funds and likelihood of success of
the ventures accessing the program.
Sec. 7. Deployment.
* Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop 3-year programs for use of the technology developed in section
5, and identifies that initial programs shall be carried out by the
Bureau of Land Management using Great Basin excess pinyon-juniper, by
the National Park Service using Mojave Desert tamarisk, and by the
Forest Service using Intermountain West bark beetle-killed trees.
* Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to
develop plans for use of the technology developed in section 5, and
identifies that these shall use Great Basin excess pinyon-juniper,
Mojave Desert tamarisk, and Intermountain West bark beetle-killed
trees.
Sec. 8. Application and Market Research.
* Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement competitive
grants programs to develop markets for biochar and bioenergy, analyze
the production costs versus the economic benefits of biochar
production, potential performance of biochar production in carbon
sequestration programs, and compares biochar production with other
biofuel production systems.
* Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement competitive
grants programs to perform full environmental review of biochar
production and use, including water savings, environmental benefits of
biochar use in agricultural settings, and any potential adverse
environmental impacts.
* Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement competitive
grants programs to research and analyze potential uses for biochar in
landscape restoration in different ecosystems and soil types.
Sec. 9. Authorization of Appropriations.
Authorizes the appropriation of such funds as are necessary to carry
out sections 4 through 8.
Lopa Brunjes
Sep 25, 2009, 8:02:26 PM9/25/09
to pnw-b...@googlegroups.com
Thanks for posting this, John!
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for action.
PLEASE call (or email) your Senators and ask for their support of this bill. Just do it, right now! Leave them a message if you have to. This is a critical moment for biochar, and the more times they hear that the public wants this (and therefore they might increase their public support if they vote in favor of it), the more likely they are to say yes. Ask your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same. We want their phones and ears to be ringing with the word BIOCHAR. This is is a crucial moment for the future of biochar. If this bill passes through, we are on our way to this technology realizing its potential.
Seriously, as soon as you're done reading this email, PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL. If you simply can't call now, set an alarm for yourself, or however you remind yourself to do really important things, and do it on Monday morning. It can take only a few minutes if you want. You can keep it really short and simple, or call and talk to their staff for an hour if you want to. Regardless, the message we want to give is that THE PUBLIC WANTS THIS.
You can find out who your Senators are here:
http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Thanks to all of you. I know each and every one of us has had some part in getting biochar to this place. A big push now will pay of huge, for us, for the US, and for the planet.
Ready, set, GO!
To biochar!
Lopa
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for action.
PLEASE call (or email) your Senators and ask for their support of this bill. Just do it, right now! Leave them a message if you have to. This is a critical moment for biochar, and the more times they hear that the public wants this (and therefore they might increase their public support if they vote in favor of it), the more likely they are to say yes. Ask your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same. We want their phones and ears to be ringing with the word BIOCHAR. This is is a crucial moment for the future of biochar. If this bill passes through, we are on our way to this technology realizing its potential.
Seriously, as soon as you're done reading this email, PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL. If you simply can't call now, set an alarm for yourself, or however you remind yourself to do really important things, and do it on Monday morning. It can take only a few minutes if you want. You can keep it really short and simple, or call and talk to their staff for an hour if you want to. Regardless, the message we want to give is that THE PUBLIC WANTS THIS.
You can find out who your Senators are here:
http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Thanks to all of you. I know each and every one of us has had some part in getting biochar to this place. A big push now will pay of huge, for us, for the US, and for the planet.
Ready, set, GO!
To biochar!
Lopa
Lopa Brunjes
Executive VP
Biochar Engineering Corporation
San Francisco Office
w: 415.920.9151
c: 415.342.8692
www.biocharengineering.com
www.biocharsystems.com
http://biocharfactor.wordpress.com
*** Email does not always convey a message well. Please call me if you have questions or need further clarification.
[ http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb06/egos.html ]***
Executive VP
Biochar Engineering Corporation
San Francisco Office
w: 415.920.9151
c: 415.342.8692
www.biocharengineering.com
www.biocharsystems.com
http://biocharfactor.wordpress.com
*** Email does not always convey a message well. Please call me if you have questions or need further clarification.
[ http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb06/egos.html ]***
Get Connected: 
--- @ WiseStamp Signature. Get it now
joe
Oct 23, 2009, 1:41:30 PM10/23/09
to PNW Biochar
There is also a house bill of the same title:
-------------------------------------
H.R. 3748, The Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration
(WECHAR) Act of 2009
-------------------------------------
Joe
On Sep 25, 7:06 pm, John <jmied...@peak.org> wrote:
> From IBI ---http://www.biochar-international.org/policy/unitedstates
-------------------------------------
H.R. 3748, The Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration
(WECHAR) Act of 2009
-------------------------------------
Joe
On Sep 25, 7:06 pm, John <jmied...@peak.org> wrote:
> From IBI ---http://www.biochar-international.org/policy/unitedstates
Lopa Brunjes
Oct 23, 2009, 1:55:55 PM10/23/09
to pnw-b...@googlegroups.com
Joe, thank you so much for letting us know! I've been wondering when a House bill would come about...
Lopa Brunjes
Executive VP
Biochar Engineering Corporation
San Francisco Office
w: 415.920.9151
c: 415.342.8692
www.biocharengineering.com
www.biocharsystems.com
http://biocharfactor.wordpress.com
*** Email does not always convey a message well. Please call me if you have questions or need further clarification.
[ http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb06/egos.html ]***
Executive VP
Biochar Engineering Corporation
San Francisco Office
w: 415.920.9151
c: 415.342.8692
www.biocharengineering.com
www.biocharsystems.com
http://biocharfactor.wordpress.com
*** Email does not always convey a message well. Please call me if you have questions or need further clarification.
[ http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb06/egos.html ]***
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