May 26, 1999

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) will introduce a bill to allow harvesting biomass for energy generation on land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. Harkin also will introduce a bill to provide a 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour tax credit to utility companies using biomass energy sources.

USDA and the Energy Department will release a report Harkin requested in 1997 that examines the feasibility of planting biomass crops on existing crop land, idled crop land, pasture and CRP land. Biomass products include switchgrass, hybrid willow and hybrid poplar. Harkin says the report shows that biomass crops have the potential to create $2.3-5.5 billion in additional net income to farmers.

Harkin's bill would allow vegetation to be grown and harvested on CRP land for use as biomass energy sources. Harvesting would be allowed only under conditions that protect soil and wildlife.