Goldmark promotes plan to make jet fuel from wood waste

Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark says he'll propose legislation to promote making aviation fuel out of wood waste.

Goldmark told the Pacific West Biomass Conference in Seattle on Tuesday that he wants to start a pilot project to make jet fuel as part of the Department of Natural Resources' forest biomass program. 

That initiative is studying manufacturing methods, markets and supply sources to convert forest wood waste to energy sources.

In a press statement, Goldmark linked the industry potential to jobs:

These projects have a huge potential to help encourage rural economic development and improve the health of fire-prone forests.

DNR says Boeing Co., the Port of Seattle and the state Commerce Department support the proposal. Boeing, Airbus, the U.S. Air Force and several airlines have been studying different alternative fuels made from plants and other sources.

Seattlepi.com's Aubrey Cohen spoke with an industry executive who says he thinks the move is positive:

"The technology to convert this abundant resource into high-quality, drop-in biofuels is viable."