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Senate circles substituted SB 19 after expanding scope to biomass and lowering generation threshold
Summary
Senator Blackcomb’s second substitute to SB 19 lowers the size threshold from 1 MW to 20 kW and expands the bill from electricity‑generation incentives to include fuel production from biomass (ethanol, methanol). Senators agreed to an amendment excluding municipal solid‑waste incinerators; the bill was circled while fiscal notes and technical changes are finalized.
Senate floor action on Jan. 28 placed a second substitute of Senate Bill 19 before the chamber and then circled the measure while staff updated system materials and the fiscal note.
Sponsor Senator Blackcomb told colleagues the substitute does two things: it reduces the facility‑size or generation threshold from 1 megawatt to 20 kilowatts — maintaining a commercial requirement so the change is not for home operations — and expands the bill’s scope beyond electrical generation to include production of fuels from biomass products such as ethanol and methanol. "The other major change is on page 43... the bill before was limited to the production of electricity and now includes the production of fuel from biomass products and facilities," the sponsor said.
Senators asked technical questions about whether wastewater residuals from agricultural or industrial processes could be treated as a biomass source. Senator Thomas and others discussed how wastewater residuals can be a byproduct of agricultural production and may be intentionally included to be inclusive, not exclusive, of possible feedstocks.
Environmental concerns prompted a floor amendment — described by sponsor and supporters as clarifying intent — to ensure municipal solid‑waste incinerators would not be included in the definition of "waste energy facility." The amendment was accepted and passed. Senator Valentine raised questions about the fiscal note because the substitute expanded the exemption’s scope; the sponsor said a fiscal‑note revision was expected but that the nature of the fiscal note (no immediate change to current revenue; potential future revenue) would not fundamentally change.
The Senate circled the bill so staff could complete system updates and the fiscal note and agreed to revisit the measure when those materials are available.
What happens next: The bill is circled pending fiscal‑note updates and technical printing; sponsors said they will allow time for the fiscal note to reflect the widened scope before the Senate resumes action.
