A bill introduced by 1st District Assemblyman Brian Dahle and Bakersfield Assemblyman Rudy Salas passed the Assembly unanimously Tuesday afternoon with bipartisan support, and is on its way to the Senate. According to Dahle’s office AB 590 will add incentives for biomass utilization of agriculture waste and forest waste.
The legislation is designed to divert biomass from landfills and create renewable energy along with jobs and a myriad of co-benefits to wildlife, air quality and water supply.
“In the past few years we have seen the catastrophic results of forests that are too loaded with forest fuels. The people of my district have lived in a cloud of smoke, as thousands of acres have burned destroying lives, property, critical animal habitat, ruining our watersheds and wasting valuable resources,” said Assemblyman Dahle. “I introduced AB 590 to address this crisis. The bill is now on to the Senate with bipartisan support from the Assembly, where I hope to see it receive the same support.”
“Biomass power generation is a clean and efficient way to produce renewable energy and help improve our air. In fact, the Delano biomass facility has helped reduce 96 percent of the pollutants released from open-field burning. This facility alone converts 300,000 tons of agricultural waste per year into clean, renewable energy.” said Assemblyman Salas. “AB 590 provides the necessary structure and resources to protect and incentivize biomass power in California.”
