Comments Invited on Draft Standard for Sustainable Biomass Production

On September 11, the Council on Sustainable Biomass Production (CSBP), a multi-stakeholder organization established in 2007 to develop comprehensive, voluntary sustainability standards for the production of biomass and its conversion to bioenergy, opened a public comment period on its Draft Standard . CSBP intends for its standard to serve as the foundation for sustainable production and a certification program, which will set the emerging bioenergy industry on a course of continuous improvement with support from growers, all sectors of the industry, including refineries, and social and environmental interests.

The CSBP standard will apply to biomass produced from non-food sources, such as dedicated fuel crops, crop residues, purpose-grown wood, forestry residues, and native vegetation. The standard addresses the full complement of sustainability issues, including climate change, biological diversity, water quality and quantity, soil quality, and socio-economic well-being.

The Council invites comments on the Draft Standard from all stakeholders by November 9, 2009. Instructions for submitting comments, can be found at www.csbp.org .