During a congressional hearing Wednesday on the impact of energy costs on American jobs, Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) told the U.S. House Committee on Resources to consider the potential of timber harvest residue as a source of biomass fuel.

"East Texas is blessed with abundant resources including coal, gas, oil, water and biomass, and we have the technology to make them environmentally friendly," Gohmert said in a press release.

"We are seeing the effects of high energy costs in Texas and throughout the rest of our country and we need to utilize alternative fuels to move forward toward energy independence.

"People in East Texas have expressed to me the importance of biomass as an alternative energy and this conversation is now moving to Washington. President Bush mentioned the increased use of alternative energy during his recent State of the Union address, and now Congress is following his lead to encourage the use of energy sources we have in our own backyard.

"The timber and wood products industry has been a staple of the East Texas economy for decades and now we have the opportunity to expand its impact. The Abitibi paper mill in Lufkin is a good example of where biomass could be a potential source of energy to help reduce the high cost of natural gas."

Analysts on the potential for expanded use of biomass energy testified Wednesday before the House Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals, according to the press release.

"Technological advances and lower operating costs are helping create jobs in the pulp and paper industry," the press release stated. "However, no new paper mills have been built in the U.S. in the last 11 years, and energy prices continue to rise."

Many East Texas wood product mills have already converted to boilers that produce steam energy from burning the wood chips and other wood debris left behind in timber harvests.

Currently, a private New England energy company is considering constructing a wood residue biomass electric plant near Nacogdoches. They are working in conjunction with Texas Forestry Association in Lufkin.

"President Bush mentioned wood chips for future sources of transportation fuels in his State of the Union address last week," said Ron Hufford, TFA executive vice president, in an e-mail interview .

"With the rising energy costs for heating, cooling and fuel it is imperative that the US look to alternative sources and President Bush along with leaders across the country are addressing these needs. The use of wood is part of the solution and will have a role to play in the research and the production of these news sources of energy and fuels.

"What it means to the forestry community is that our private landowners will have new markets for their trees and we will play a role in meeting these future demands of the public from domestic sources."