Responding to United Steelworker (USW) concerns, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is preparing to rewrite rules to allow alternative biomass fuels to be used as fuel in industrial, commercial and institutional boilers.

The EPA has notified the USW that its decision to re-propose significant parts of its Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials Rule (NHSM) will include redefining a variety of biofuel materials as fuel rather than waste.

The pending action will save thousands of jobs and protect the environment by preventing millions of tons of carbon-neutral biomass materials from being diverted to landfills or vented to the atmosphere rather than be used as alternatives to fossil fuels.

“The USW would like to commend the EPA for all the hard work it has done to be responsive to our union’s concerns about this rule. We are confident that EPA’s proposed changes will help preserve family-wage jobs and encourage investment in technologies to make America more energy independent,” USW International President Leo W. Gerard said ... more