There were several developments this week that could affect federal biomass policy next year.

- The House of Representatives chose Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) to serve as Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for the next Congress. Rep. Walden has many biomass thermal and power projects in his district, and has traditionally been a staunch supporter of biomass. In a 2011 op-ed in Politico, Rep. Walden outlined his support for biomass, pointing to a school and hospital in his district that heat with biomass fuels. His op-ed concludes: "Finally, woody biomass is a worthy piece of the puzzle that gets us that much closer to a smarter and more independent energy future that's better insulated from the volatility of energy prices that has become all too familiar in recent years. It's good for the forests. It's good for jobs. And it's good for energy independence. It's the kind of win-win-win scenario that public policymakers should crave."

- President-elect Donald Trump nominated Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. While Mr. Pruitt has in the past supported the development of alternative fuels including biomass, he is expected to implement policies that will reverse many of the initiatives of the Obama Administration, including the Clean Power Plan. Read more about Mr. Pruitt at Biomass Magazine.

- House and Senate negotiators concluded discussions this week on the energy bill, officially dashing prospects for the bill's passage during the lame duck session. The Senate version of the bill had included biomass carbon neutrality language.

As consumers and retailers focus on pellet purchases for the 2016-2017 winter season, we want to remind PFI members of the resources available to you to help you communicate about the PFI Standards Program and what it means for buyers.

One pager on the Standards Program: Our informational handout on the PFI Standards Program explains the program and its implications for pellet producers, retailers and stove manufacturers. It also lists the companies that have been qualified for the program, along with their websites.

One pager on the symbols found on pellet bags: We have created a one pager specifically explaining the various PFI logos and marks found on bags of pellets. It helps retailers distinguish the PFI Standards Program Quality Mark from other commonly used symbols. This handout is also ideal for printing off and distributing to customers or posting in a store.

Materials for members of the program: For qualified companies, we have created a marketing kit with suggested language for ensuring that customers and retailers are aware of your company's acceptance into the program and what it means. It also includes suggested language for websites.

If you are interested in receiving any of these materials, please contact Carrie Annand at [email protected]. If you are interested in joining the program, first step is to visit PFI's Standards Program web pages to identify an accredited auditing agency. The agency will help you come up with a Quality Control manual and get you on the path to joining the program.