Comments Invited on Draft Standard for Sustainable Biomass Production 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, has 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, including 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. The complete Draft Standard, and instructions for submitting comments, can be found at www.csbp.org.
