The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is alarmed by the latest U.N. report, Climate Change and Land, which was released yesterday. The report warns that climate change is exacerbating pressures on the global food supply, threatening millions more with hunger, and potentially raising food prices for all.

Read More

The President’s FY 11 budget request for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE/RE) programs is $2.36 billion (approximately eight percent of the total DOE budget), an increase of $113 million (five percent above the FY 10 appropriations). Nuclear Energy programs received an increase of $42 million (five percent above FY 10 appropriations) and Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability programs increased by $14 million (five percent above FY 10 appropriations). The budget request for fossil energy decreased by $191 million (20 percent below FY 10 appropriations), primarily through a $105 million cut (43 percent below FY 10 appropriations) in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) program was authorized in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), and is responsible for funding specific “high-risk, high-payoff, game-changing research and development projects to meet the nation’s long-term energy challenges.” The FY 11 budget includes a request of $300 million for this program, following its initial FY 09 funds of approximately $400 million.

Read More

Overall biomass energy funding levels (mandatory and discretionary) would increase a little more than five percent in FY 11 compared to the FY 10 regular appropriations. Bioenergy programs also have received a significant infusion of additional funds ($777 million) in FY 09 and FY 10 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, P.L. 111-5). In addition, significant additional federal mandates and incentives for bioenergy production are provided through the Renewable Fuel Standard and in the tax code (various biofuel and biopower producer tax credits, investment tax credits, and fuel blender tax credits).

Read More

On May 7, 2009, President Obama released his FY 2010 Federal Budget Request. The FY 2010 budget includes $513 million dollars for USDA Farm Bill Energy Programs ($391 million in mandatory funds and $122 in additional discretionary funds). This represents an increase of $242 million over FY 2009 appropriation levels, an increase of 89.3%.

Read More

On July 27, 2007, the House of Representatives passed, with a of vote 231-191,The Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419). The bill includes new investments in conservation, nutrition, specialty crops (fruit and vegetable) and energy production.

Read More

On June 11, 2007, the Departments of Energy and Agriculture announced that they will provide up to $18 million, for FY07, to support research and development of biobased products, biofuels, bioenergy and related processes.

Read More

On May 11, 2007, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute released, The 2007 Farm Bill: Policy Recommendations for Integrated Renewable Energy Production, this is an update to their 2001 farm bill recommendations, The 2002 Farm Bill: Revitalizing the Farm Economy Through Renewable Energy Development.

Read More

On April 16, 2007, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service at the US Department of Agriculture announced the availability of approximately $19.3 million for Value-Added Producer Grants (Sec. 6401 of the 2002 Farm Bill).

Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C., On February 28, 2007 Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced that DOE will fund six biorefinery projects over the next four years with up to $385 million in federal funds, which combined with the industry cost share will result in investment of more than $1.2 billion in these projects.

Read More