042308 final biofuels exec summ

Advanced Biofuels

Task Force Report

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Spring 2008

Acknowledgments

Te Advanced Biouels ask Force would like to thank those who contributed tothe development o this report. In particular, we acknowledge the work o U.S.

Representative William Delahunt

, who has been a state and national leader onadvancing the development o biouels.We also would like to acknowledge all those who provided oral and/or writtentestimony (see Appendix C or a complete list), plus the ollowing individuals:

Shannon Ames

(staf or Senator Resor),

Kathy Baskin

(EEA),

Linda Benevides

(EEA),

Dwayne Breger

(DOER), Marc Breslow (EEA),

Ben Bunker

(DOER intern),

Lisa Capone

(EEA),

Steven Clarke

(EEA),

Brooke Coleman

(New Fuels Alliance),

Lisa Conley

(staf or Representative Smizik),

Coralie Cooper

(NESCAUM),

JamesCope

(EO),

Jennifer Crawford

(staf or Representative Dempsey),

Zachary Crowley

(staf or Representative Smizik),

Michael Ferrante

(Massachusetts Oilheat Council),

Ian Finlayson

(EEA),

John Fischer

(DEP),

David Howland

(DEP),

Chris Kealey

(MC),

Robert Keough

(EEA),

Christine Kirby

(DEP),

Steven Larrabee

(staf orRepresentative Jones),

Judith Laster

(staf or Speaker DiMasi),

Michelle Manion

(NESCAUM),

Joanne McBrien

(DOER),

Patricia Moynihan

(staf or RepresentativeDempsey),

Sudhir Nunes

(MC),

Christine Raisig

(MC),

Arthur Robert

(MOBD),

Sara Schnitzer

(staf or Senator Resor),

Nancy Seidman

(DEP),

Teresa Sousa

(EEA),

Bethann Steiner

(staf or Senator Downing),

Jeannine Wheaton

(DOR), and

Christine Williams

(EOHED).Te ollowing organizations are appreciated or their support and contributions:

Economic Development Research Group

, the

Massachusetts Technology Collaborative

,

Navigant Consulting,

and the

Northeast States for Coordinated AirUse Management

.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Advanced Biofuels Task Force

April 16, 2008Dear Governor Patrick, Senate President Murray, and Speaker DiMasi:In November 2007, you created the Advanced Biouels Task Force and directed us to “develop a strategicramework to accelerate the development and deployment o commercially viable advanced biouels, andacilitate expansive biouel research throughout the Commonwealth.” We present this report to you inulllment o our charge.While there are detailed ndings and recommendations throughout the report, our proposals to aggressivelymove an advanced biouels sector orward while maintaining high environmental standards include theollowing priorities:Prioritize eorts to achieve near-term implementation o a regional, technology-neutral and

•

perormance-based Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), with Massachusetts leading the way.While a Massachusetts LCFS is being developed, pass amended versions o the legislation you co-

•

sponsored, implementing targeted transitional biouels mandates and exempting cellulosic biouelsrom the state gasoline tax, with a sunset date. Both the transitional mandates and cellulosic uelexemption should require signicant greenhouse gas reductions and other environmental protections,including direct and indirect impacts such as those on land use. The mandates and cellulosic taxexemption should be as technology-neutral as possible, and should phase out as a Low Carbon FuelStandard comes into existence.Support pilot deployment in the state eet o plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicle technology in

•

light- and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as uel-efcient ex-uel vehicles.Develop inrastructure necessary or consumer use o biouels and implement limited-cost investments

•

in equipment or ethanol and biodiesel distribution, such as E85 stations along major state highwaycorridors, subject to budget constraints.Develop standards or ull liecycle evaluation o biouels that consider their carbon and other

•

environmental impacts, including direct and indirect land use impacts.Parallel to progress on biouels, continue to explore policy options or vehicle efciency and reducing

•

vehicle miles traveled.We developed these and other recommendations outlined in the ull report through a robust process o analysisand public engagement. Biouels policy can be complicated and contentious. Nevertheless, we have arrived at aset o recommendations that allows the Commonwealth to aggressively seize the economic opportunities youoresaw, while also protecting the environment and combating climate change. It is clear to us that, with theappropriate saeguards, advanced biouels can and should be a central part o the Commonwealth’s cleanenergy strategy.