Northeast Regional Biomass ProgramThe Northeast Regional Biomass Program (NRBP), a public-private cooperative initiative, brought together the eleven northeastern states, the federal government, regional and national organizations, and key industrial concerns in the Northeast. Through a combination of research and demonstration projects, outreach and education, and assessment and partnership-building, the NRBP sought to enhance the development and use of biomass resources and technologies in the Northeast. The Northeast Regional Biomass Program was part of a broader federally supported program underway in five regions of the country. The NRBP focused, however, on the specific types of biomass resources, environmental and economic market characteristics, and state policies and institutional frameworks that affect biomass opportunities in the northeastern United States. Numerous factors present unique opportunities and challenges to the use of biomass resources and technologies in the Northeast. These factors include the region’s dependence on imported petroleum; its movement to a restructured electricity industry; the need to meet air quality attainment standards; interest in furthering environmental and energy-friendly technologies; and concerns for effective management of waste residue. The CONEG Policy Research Center, Inc. administered the regional program under a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. For more information about the Northeast Regional Biomass Program reports, visit its web site at www.nrbp.org. |