Healthy Landscapes and Thriving Communities:
Bioenergy and Wood Products Conference, Jan. 20-22

WASHINGTON- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton announced today that the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture are teaming up with the Western Governor's Association, National Association of Counties and Council of Energy Resource Tribes to hold a Healthy Landscapes and Thriving Communities: Bioenergy and Wood Products Conference Jan. 20-22, 2004, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Denver, Colo.

The two and a half day conference is designed to share information that will foster a more informed understanding of bioenergy and its potential as a renewable energy source. Conference planners are looking forward to the participation and attendance of community and civic leaders; wood products and bioenergy industry leaders and land managers from federal, state, tribal and local governments, conservationist and environmentalist and other stakeholders and interested organizations.

The conference will begin with a half day tour of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. The second day will include plenary and technical sessions. And the third day of the conference will feature regional workshops that will help to identify barriers, solutions and action plans.

Plenary Session
The Plenary will include critical components such as the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, renewable energy/National Energy Policy, rural/tribal economic development and highlights of the Woody Biomass Utilization Policy.

Technical Session
The conference will consist of two technical tracks, Meeting the Needs of the Forests and Meeting the Needs of the Community.

Regional Workshops
Regional workshops will be formed for the Pacific Northwest and California, the Southwest, the Interior West and Great Plains, the South and the East

Complete information and details about the conference is available online at www.nifc.gov/biomass_conf.html Online registration and hotel reservations are available at www.westgov.org

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