BioEnergy Producers Association Formed - Former State Senator David Roberti Elected President

The BioEnergy Producers Association has been formed. Members are "environmentally preferable" industries that produce power, fuels, and chemicals from biomass and plastic wastes.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) January 18, 2005 -- Californias biobased industries are uniting under the banner of a BioEnergy Producers Association intended to advance the development and commercialization of sustainable, environmentally preferable industries that produce power, fuels, and chemicals from agricultural, forestry, and urban sources of biomass and plastic wastes. The associations formation was announced by its Chairman, James L. Stewart.

The organization will serve as a unified voice for Californias biobased industries to inform and advise policymakers on the broad-based environmental and economic benefits of bioenergy and bioproducts, including reductions in petroleum dependency, greenhouse gas emissions, air toxics and the practice of landfilling. The introduction of biobased industries will enhance the States agricultural base, air and water quality, forest health and wildfire protection, and economic development," Stewart noted in making the announcement.

Former State Senator David Roberti is President of the new association. Roberti, former President pro Tempore of the California Legislature, which he served for 27 years, was also a member of the California Integrated Waste Management Board from 1998 to 2002.

Roberti was the chief Senate negotiator for AB939 the governing legislation for solid waste management in California. He authored, among other pieces of environmental legislation, laws reducing the generation of hazardous waste in California and setting deadlines for their implementation.

The associations Vice President is Dr. Kay Martin, who recently retired as the Director of the Ventura County Environmental and Energy Resources Department, which implements the County's AB939 programs, and also has lead responsibility for advancing the County's comprehensive bioenergy platform. Dr. Martin is a leading proponent for the commercialization of conversion technologies and new product markets for biomass fractions of the municipal waste stream, including renewable energy, transportation fuels and industrial chemicals

One of the major goals of the BioEnergy Producers Association will be to promote the development of a comprehensive bioenergy policy for the State of California. We want the state to establish a policy that prioritizes biobased industry growth, and furthers national biomass research and development policy objectives for energy security, pollution abatement, and rural economic development," said Roberti.

Our goal is to educate the public about the environmental and economic benefits of biobased industries, and pursue broad-based coalitions to promote their introduction throughout the state," Roberti concluded.

The association maintains a web site at www.bioenergyproducers.org.

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