Back to Biomass homepage

BCAP on the chopping block again

By Anna Austin | February 17, 2011

Just a few months after the Biomass Crop Assistance Program narrowly escaped defunding with the failure of the proposed federal omnibus spending bill, the biomass industry is gearing up for another battle, as Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., has introduced an amendment to the new spending bill that once again proposes elimination of BCAP funding.

Section 1285, page 195, of the continuing resolution states, “None of the funds appropriated or made available by this division or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out the Biomass Crop Assistance Program authorized by section 9011 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 in excess of $112,000,000.”

The amendment proposed by Flake strikes out “in excess of $112,000,000,” which would defund the program.  

Lawmakers have proposed more than 500 amendments to the $1.2 trillion spending bill, and the House is still in the process of considering them after finishing the bill read-through early Thursday morning. House passage is expected by the end of the week, but the Senate will not consider it until after next week’s recess, four days before the March 4 deadline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Responses

  1. Eric Rund

    2011-02-18

    1

    There is a difference between long term subsidies and seed money. As a farmer I have benefited by the corn ethanol industry making good use of the tax credits it recived, to quickly make enough ethanol to replace MTBE and then some. It is now very efficient and very sudccessful, but it no longer needs or should receive a subsidies. If we shifted even a small part of that money to BCAP, and programs like it to get farmers to grow biomass crops where appropriate, the government would save money and we would have cheaper food and fuel long term.

  2. john lambert

    2011-02-18

    2

    Individuals or companies that want to sign on to support continued funding for BCAP can do so at: http://www.supportbiomass.org/

  3. Jake White

    2011-02-18

    3

    seems like an awful lot of money has been wasted building biomass plants that failed, e.g. $8,000,000.00 for Nevada's project. Biomass plants have failed all over the United States. The funding for fake renewables needs to stop

    4.  

    Leave a Reply

    Biomass Magazine encourages civil conversation and debate. However, comments containing personal attacks, profanity, business solicitations or other advertising will be deleted.

    Comments are closed