SB 502

2026 Regular Session  ENROLLED
  ACT No. 219
 SENATE BILL NO. 502
 BY SENATOR CATHEY
1AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 3:3602(18) and to enact R.S. 3:3602(19) and 3607(E), relative
3to sugarcane bagasse biomass storage; to provide for definitions; to prohibit certain
4ordinances; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6Section 1. R.S. 3:3602(18) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 3:3602(19) and
7 3607(E) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
8§3602. Definitions
9As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
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11(18) "Sugarcane bagasse biomass" means the solid, heterogeneous,
12fibrous material that remains after extracting the liquid from sugarcane stalks,
13which may include but is not limited to the following:
14(a) Biomass derived from factory bagasse which is obtained from the
15industrial extraction process and contains only trace amounts of the sugarcane
16liquid.
17(b) Biomass derived from pressed cane stalks or farm bagasse which is
18obtained from on-farm or small factory extraction and contains higher amounts
19of sugarcane liquid.
20(c) Dewatered pulp derived from bagasse, recognized by the United
21States Environmental Protection Agency as a fuel pursuant to 40 CFR 241.4.
22(19) "Traditional farm practices" means those accepted and customary
23standards established by similar agricultural operations under similar circumstances
24using established best management practices. Best management practices for animal
25feeding operations and confined animal feeding operations shall be determined by
26the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry in conjunction with the LSU
27AgCenter.
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  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
 SB NO. 502  ENROLLED
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2§3607. Local ordinances
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4E. No parish or municipal governing authority may enact or enforce any
5ordinance prohibiting the storage of sugarcane bagasse biomass when it is
6stored in accordance with a best management practice plan that has been
7approved by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry in writing and
8provided to the Department of Environmental Quality.
9Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
10 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
11 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
12 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
13 effective on the day following such approval.
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
 APPROVED:
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  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.