Smart Sectors Forum on Using Clean Cellulosic Biomass as Fuel in Cement Manufacturing
On June 18, 2025, Smart Sectors, in cooperation with the American Cement Association, convened a virtual forum on the topic of clean cellulosic biomass. The Forum brought together leaders from the cement industry, the solid waste management industry, and federal personnel to highlight new EPA regulatory guidance, share best practices, and initiate a multi-stakeholder dialogue on opportunities to increase the use of biomass fuel in the cement industry.
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FORUM AGENDA
Welcoming Remarks
Becky Keogh, Assistant Administrator, US EPA Office of Policy
Presentations
- The Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials (NHSM) Program and Clean Cellulosic Biomass
Traci Atagi, US EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management
(No slides Used) - Biomass and Alternative Fuels Use at UNACEM North America’s Drake Cement Plant
Desirea Haggard, UNACEM
Haggard Biomass Fuels at Drake 508 (pdf) - Opportunities to Incorporate Biomass and Waste as a Heat Source for Cement Production (PDF)
Lynn Wendt, Idaho National Laboratory
Wendt Incorporating Biomass and Waste for Heat 508 (pdf) - Opportunities for the Cement Sector to Partner with the Solid Waste Management Industry (PDF)
Anne Germain, National Waste and Recycling Association
Germain Opportunities for partnering 508 (pdf)
Participant Discussion
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Additional Information
For more information on the forum, contact EPA Smart Sectors’ Cement and Concrete Sector Lead, Peter Hillebrand (Hillebrand.Peter@epa.gov)
Other resources:
Fact Sheet on Clean Cellulosic Biomass and Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials Determinations
List of EPA’s regional contacts for NHSM waste determination
For more information on Smart Sectors’ work with the cement industry, see: Smart Sectors’ Working Collaboratively with Industry Sectors