From a strictly economic point of view, forest bioenergy in general is not quite cost-competitive with oil or coal under current technological and market conditions, but the potential exists for the production and utilization of forest biomass and bioenergy when the associated social, economic, and environmental benefits are counted.  Some of these benefits, such as reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and enhancement of national energy security, accrue not only to the producers and users of bioenergy but also to the entire society.  This provides justification for governmental support of biomass and bioenergy development.  Such support could be in the form of technical assistance, financing options, and incentives and cost sharing for bioenergy development and consumption.