House Majority Whip James Bashett proposes $200 million transferable tax credit to spur biomass power and revive Georgia forestry

House Majority Whip James Bashett introduced House Bill 63 (LC 443564S) to the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs committee as a long‑term market intervention for Georgia’s forestry industry. Bashett said the state currently has “more than 8 million tons” of wood not being moved and described a transferable tax credit intended to incentivize construction of biomass energy facilities that turn pine into power. “What this allows for is a maximum tax credit of $200 million for the pine to power,” Bashett said.

Bashett framed the credit as a way to restore markets left by the disappearance of pulp demand and to support loggers, sawmills and related local businesses. He also told the committee that European examples exist — citing companies such as RWE — where pellet‑based power plants were developed with production credits and remained commercially viable even while sourcing trans‑Atlantic wood products.

Committee members generally expressed support. Sen. Max Burns, committee chairman, called the measure timely after multiple mill closures and said biomass paired with local demand (for example, data centers) could be “a good partnership.” Burns and others asked whether biomass is currently classified as a renewable resource; Bashett said he and members of the delegation were working with federal counterparts in Washington to reclassify or obtain federal recognition that would aid project economics.

Speakers emphasized local economic stakes: one committee member told the committee that roughly 120 logging businesses had closed following recent mill shutdowns, arguing that healthy forest markets sustain rural tax bases, schools and road maintenance. Bashett and members discussed financing structure: the bill would use transferable tax credits rather than direct state outlays, and the author described scenarios where private financing and the credit combine to make projects feasible.

After questions, the committee considered a motion to “do pass.” The motion was made and seconded and the committee approved HB63 by voice vote; the chair declared the measure passed unanimously and forwarded it out of committee.

The committee did not specify implementation dates or regulatory details in the hearing; Bashett told members he was open to refining timelines and other technical language if needed. The committee did not record a detailed roll‑call vote in the transcript beyond the chair’s announcement of unanimous passage.

What happens next: HB63 will advance from committee toward further legislative consideration; committee members signaled interest in continuing work on federal and state policy alignment to support biomass as an energy source.