Sponsors (31)
Clarifies which forest and wood-products residuals qualify as "renewable biomass" and establishes who may certify eligibility to EPA.
Official title: To amend the Clean Air Act to modify the definition of renewable biomass for purposes of the renewable fuel standard, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 22, 2026 by Cliff Bentz · Last progress July 22, 2026
The bill clarifies and simplifies which wood- and paper-manufacturing residuals qualify as renewable biomass and eases local certification to help some producers access credits, but it narrows eligible feedstocks and shifts verification to local actors, which may reduce opportunities for some suppliers and create uneven oversight and environmental risks.
Manufacturers, fuel producers, and small wood-product businesses get a clearer, explicitly listed set of eligible biomass (e.g., sawdust, wood chips, bark), reducing uncertainty when generating renewable-fuel credits and improving their ability to claim those credits.
Non‑Federal landowners and local USDA/DOI offices can provide certifications or letters to the EPA to support credit applications, simplifying paperwork and lowering administrative barriers for biomass to qualify.
Rural landowners and communities retain management flexibility because forest/resource plans need not expressly name biomass or renewable fuel as an intended end use for authorized removals to qualify.
Manufacturers, recyclers, and small suppliers of recycled paper may lose revenue and credit opportunities because narrowing the biomass definition could exclude some previously eligible feedstocks (for example, certain recycled paper streams).
Manufacturers and landowners face uneven compliance risk because relying on letters or certifications from non‑Federal owners or local offices could produce inconsistent verification standards across regions, increasing disputes over eligibility.
Rural and nearby communities could see increased environmental or wildfire concerns if allowing removals authorized under plans that do not name biomass as an end use leads to additional harvests or disposals without consistent oversight.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Amends the Clean Air Act definition of "renewable biomass" to clarify which forest- and wood-products residuals qualify, reorganize the statutory clause structure, and set who may certify materials to EPA. It explicitly lists manufacturing residuals (sawdust, wood chips, bark, certain paper residuals) while excluding commonly recycled paper, refines categories for trees/shrubs and vegetation from specified sources, and creates authorized certification pathways through non-Federal landowners or local USDA/DOI offices tied to forest or resource management plans. The changes narrow and clarify eligibility for renewable biomass used under Clean Air Act programs and establish that management plans do not need to name biomass as an intended end use so long as removal or disposition is authorized and consistent with the plan. This affects how materials are counted as renewable feedstocks and who may provide required certifications to EPA.