Pellet Fuels Institute Leads DC Fly-In

Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) spearheaded a fly-in on April 9, visiting 29 Congressional offices to discuss the wood pellet industry and PFI’s policy and regulatory agenda. A dozen member representatives from across the wood pellet and wood pellet appliance supply chain joined the fly-in to discuss PFI’s regulatory objectives.

“Our members were thrilled to have an opportunity to speak directly with their respective members of Congress, and in more than a few instances we were able to conduct follow up meetings from our fly-in last spring,” comments PFI Executive Director Tim Portz.

 PFI continues to advocate for important programs within the Farm Bill including the Advanced Biofuels Producer Payment Program, Wood Innovation Grants and the Community Wood Grant Program. “We found widespread bi-partisan support for these programs, but these aren’t the programs at the heart of the ongoing debate around the Farm Bill,” Portz says.

In addition to Farm Bill discussions, PFI deployed advocacy teams to discuss the importance of maintaining the existing tax credit, advocating for the tax credit’s expansion to include commercial installations and raise the credit cap to allow for the deployment of larger whole-home pellet boiler systems, and introducing the wood pellet industry to new members of Congress. 

Joining the fly-in in support of PFI’s advocacy efforts were Kenny Lisle, Brett Jordan, Casey Hoffman, Alison Snider, Bruce Lisle, Frank Kvietok (Lignetics), Pat Curran (Curran Renewable Energy), Stephen Faehner (American Wood Fibers), Matt Klein (Kamps/Easy Heat), Jim VerBeke (Hearth & Home Technologies), Jon Parrott, Les Otten, (Maine Energy Systems), Dylan O’Donnell (Timber Products Inspection), and Matt Scorzetti (ProAmpac).