February 7, 2012

Contact:

Josh Schlossberg, Biomass Accountability Project,biomass.greenwash@gmail.com, 802-223-5844

Rachel Smolker, Biofuelwatch, rsmolker@riseup.net, 802-482-2848

Chris Matera, MA Forest Watch, christoforest@maforests.org, 413-341-3878

Recommendations in the final report of the State of Vermont’s legislatively-appointed Biomass Energy Development Working Group (BEWG), released in late January, will result in increased toxic [...]]]>

Press Release

February 7, 2012

Contact:

Josh Schlossberg, Biomass Accountability Project,biomass.greenwash@gmail.com, 802-223-5844

Rachel Smolker, Biofuelwatch, rsmolker@riseup.net, 802-482-2848

Chris Matera, MA Forest Watch, christoforest@maforests.org, 413-341-3878

Recommendations in the final report of the State of Vermont’s legislatively-appointed Biomass Energy Development Working Group (BEWG), released in late January, will result in increased toxic air pollution and the emission of millions of tons of climate-changing greenhouse gases, degrade Vermont’s iconic forests through intensive “whole-tree harvesting,” heighten the risk of transporting invasive insects like the emerald ash borer, and divert clean energy subsidies from non-polluting, community-scale energy projects such as solar photovoltaics, small wind, and micro-hydro.

In its final report, the BEWG chose not to address public health impacts from biomass burning despite numerous complaints from communities facing biomass proposals across the state and concerns from public health organizations, such as the American Lung Association in Vermont. The BEWG did recommend that the issue of air pollution be taken up in the State Legislature.

The Working Group also chose not to address the carbon dioxide smokestack emissions of burning biomass, which recent studies have demonstrated to be even greater than from burning coal. The main impetus behind developing renewable energy sources is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The BEWG was heavily weighted in favor of logging and biomass burning industries. Of 14 stakeholders, 9 currently or have recently worked in the biomass or forest products sector. The sole environmental group represented in the Working Group has previously advocated for an expansion of biomass energy in Vermont. Missing slots in the Working Group included a public health advocate, forest ecologist, hydrologist, soil scientist, wildlife biologist, and an environmental group that does not advocate for an expansion of biomass energy.

The report includes recommendations for an expansion of 900,000 green tons per year for biomass energy projects, which would be the clearcut equivalent of 7,900 acres (~ 6,000 football fields) of forests per year. The report suggests only minimal and voluntary “harvesting” guidelines. The report does not address how Vermont’s forests will also be under pressure to fuel new biomass proposals from out of state, including New York State, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Currently Burlington’s McNeil biomass power incinerator receives ½ to 2/3 of its wood from out of state, primarily from New York.

Despite the grueling economic climate for taxpayers, the BEWG recommends increasing taxpayer subsidies for biomass energy and weakening the Section 248 permitting process for new biomass energy facilities.

Josh Schlossberg, of East Montpelier said, “I am disappointed by the Biomass Working Group’s final report, which I fear will divert taxpayer subsidies that Vermonters want going to community-scale, non-smokestack renewable energy projects such as solar, small wind and micro-hydro to a dirty and inefficient form of electricity generation that pollutes the air, worsens climate change, and degrades forests.”

Chris Matera, of MA Forest Watch, said,  “There is nothing ‘green’ about forcing citizens to subsidize cutting, burning and belching New England forests up dirty smokestacks which will increase pollution, carbon emissions and deforestation for tiny amounts of energy we do not need.   Instead, we need to transform to genuinely “clean and green“ energy options while protecting our forests so they can continue to attract tourist dollars, shelter wildlife and clean up the mess we have already made of our air, water and atmosphere.”

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http://www.gulfbiomassincinerator.org/

December 22, 2011

Three legal challenges have been filed to stop the Rentech, LLC biomass incinerator planned for in Port St. Joe, Florida.  On December 19, six Port St. Joe residents filed two separate lawsuits in circuit court seeking to rescind the City of Port St. Joe development order issued [...]]]> Press Release

http://www.gulfbiomassincinerator.org/

December 22, 2011

Three legal challenges have been filed to stop the Rentech, LLC biomass incinerator planned for in Port St. Joe, Florida.  On December 19, six Port St. Joe residents filed two separate lawsuits in circuit court seeking to rescind the City of Port St. Joe development order issued November 17, 2011.   In early December, three other residents filed a complaint with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  This complaint claims the State of Florida committed civil rights violations by issuing an air pollution permit for the incinerator in close proximity to a predominately African-American neighborhood.

“This incinerator project is a toxic nightmare that will emit some of the most deadly air and water pollutants known to science.  It will use up precious potable water at a time when Port St. Joe residents cannot even drink from their own taps.  There has been a concerted misinformation campaign by politicians and the developer in an attempt to convince the public that this project will create good local jobs and that it is “clean and green.”  This is just not true,” said Marilyn Blackwell, spokesperson for Gulf Citizens for Clean Renewable Energy, Inc.

“Although there have been some reports that Rentech is cancelling the project for lack of funding, the City’s development order and the state’s air and water permits remain in effect.  Rentech is still searching for funding, and it can transfer the development approval to another company,” said Landy Luther, one of the plaintiffs in the development order appeal.

During the local permitting process, City and Gulf County officials claimed that the incinerator will be “quiet” and “clean.”  They based these claims on reports by County officials and a local resident, Kenny Strange, who visited the biomass gasifier at the University of South Carolina campus.  That project suffered numerous near-fatal explosions and was shut down at the time of the visit by Gulf County officials and Mr. Strange.  The “debacle” at the USC campus over the biomass incinerator was the subject of an extensive investigative report in The State newspaper.

(source: Jim Forsyth, Reuters, Dec. 20, 2011)

Over half a billion trees have died in Texas due to drought over the past year, according to the Texas Forest Service. “In 2011, Texas experienced an exceptional drought, prolonged high winds, and record-setting temperatures,” said Forest Service Sustainable Forestry chief Burl Carraway.

The emerald ash borer (EAB) continues to spread across the eastern U.S., threatening the future of the tree species, with experts fearing the ash could go the way of the elm over the coming decades. While federal and state agencies and environmental groups have launched education campaigns discouraging the transportation of [...]]]> - by Josh Schlossberg

The emerald ash borer (EAB) continues to spread across the eastern U.S., threatening the future of the tree species, with experts fearing the ash could go the way of the elm over the coming decades. While federal and state agencies and environmental groups have launched education campaigns discouraging the transportation of firewood, what about the spread of the EAB in wood chips bound for biomass energy facilities?

The emerald ash borer

In October 2004, The Detroit News reported an outbreak of the EAB surrounding a biomass power facility in Flint, Michigan. In 2005’s “The Survival of EAB in Wood Chips,” Dr. David L. Roberts of Michigan State University Extension wrote, “this research suggested that the EAB had been transported in ash wood and/or ash chips.”

In New York State, wood chips can be transported out of EAB-infested quarantined areas from late fall to early spring, outside of the “flight season” for the winged invasive pest. These wood chips must be accompanied by a “compliance agreement” to burn, treat, or dispose of the chips in a timely manner, according to Sloane Crawford of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Between one-half to two-thirds of the wood fueling Burlington, Vermont’s McNeil biomass power incinerator comes from New York. “No facilities in Vermont have a compliance agreement” for accepting wood chips from quarantined areas, said Barbara Burns, of the Vermont Department of Forests. However, unlike Vermont, New York does not map biomass logging sites and would not share the location of any of McNeil’s sites. McNeil transports wood from a 100-mile radius.

Nov. 30, 2011: A 55-megawatt biomass power proposal for Port St. Joe, FL has been withdrawn by the developer Rentech, as a civil rights complaint was filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) charging the Florida Department of Environmental Protection with environmental racism in granting the facility its air permit [...]]]> - by Josh Schlossberg

Nov. 30, 2011: A 55-megawatt biomass power proposal for Port St. Joe, FL has been withdrawn by the developer Rentech, as a civil rights complaint was filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) charging the Florida Department of Environmental Protection with environmental racism in granting the facility its air permit in July 2011.

The complaint states that the “adverse impacts” of air pollution from the proposed Northwest Florida Renewable Energy Center “will fall disparately upon members of the African-American race.” Populations within 2 km of the proposal are 73% African American, compared to 18.7% in Gulf County and 16% in the State of Florida.

Photo: Melinda Reynolds

On December 5, biomass opponents handing out literature, holding signs and talking to customers outside of the Gainesville Regional Utilities, a public utility developing a 100-megawatt biomass power incinerator for Gainesville, were forced to leave public property by Gainesville City Police.

According to the Gainesville City Code, “acts authorized as an exercise of one’s constitutional right to picket or to legally protest” are protected.

The biomass [...]]]> Nov. 30, 2011:  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been asked to investigate charges of environmental racism by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection which has issued an air pollution permit for a biomass incinerator in Port St. Joe, Florida. The complaint follows up on an “intent to sue” notice filed in 2009.

The biomass gasification project is being proposed by Rentech, LLC under the name of “Northwest Florida Renewable Energy Center.” Florida DEP has approved the burning of woody biomass, municipal solid waste, and energy crops.  If EPA finds discrimination in Florida’s permitting program, it must initiate procedures to deny, annul, suspend, or terminate EPA funding.

The complaint can be accessed at: http://www.gulfbiomassincinerator.org/injustice/

According to the complaint, dated November 30, 2011, the nominal 55 megawatt biomass combustion facility will have a disparate impact on African Americans living nearby.

The complaint describes the disparate impacts as: human exposure to facility emissions, particularly carcinogens, light pollution from an elevated, open design flare system, and increased traffic congestion, accident risk, vehicular emissions and noise from increased truck traffic.

According to a nationally recognized air pollution expert, due to the flare system, “there is going to be a fireball visible for miles up to 100 hours per year.  Put another way, every third night of the year for an hour each time, folks in Mill View could be looking at a roman candle fireball over the incinerator site.”

The biomass incinerator project in Port St. Joe is one of over 200 facilities being promoted as “clean and green” renewable energy under federal and state laws.  Groups are calling for an end to federal taxpayer subsidies for this dirty energy, which they say will cost American taxpayers billions of dollars in the next few years.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/springfield_city_council_appro_10.html

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council voted 9-2 Wednesday to file an appeal seeking to overturn two building permits granted last month to By Peter Goonan, The Republican 

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/springfield_city_council_appro_10.html

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council voted 9-2 Wednesday to file an appeal seeking to overturn two building permits granted last month to Palmer Renewable Energy for a $150 million wood-burning plant in East Springfield. 

The appeal will be filed with the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals for a future hearing. The permits were granted to the company by Code Enforcement Commissioner Steven T. Desilets to allow first phase construction of the biomass plant at Page Boulevard and Cadwell Drive. 

In related news, state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell on Tuesday issued a decision that calls for further review of a state permit for the biomass power project. Kimmell’s decision followed an appeal filed by three opposition groups and 16 citizens. 

Both the City Council vote and the state commissioner’s decision were praised by groups opposed to the plant. 

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/springfield_city_council_appro_10.html

On December 5, 2011 Gainesville, Florida city police, at the behest of Gainesville Regional Utilities officials, warned three citizens that they would be arrested if they continued to stand on GRU property and talk with GRU customers about the coming GREC biomass-rate-hikes, and about opportunities for participating in the political process to seek [...]]]> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x9kEuOJXjI

On December 5, 2011 Gainesville, Florida city police, at the behest of Gainesville Regional Utilities officials, warned three citizens that they would be arrested if they continued to stand on GRU property and talk with GRU customers about the coming GREC biomass-rate-hikes, and about opportunities for participating in the political process to seek redress the effects of the more-than-$3-billion GRU-GREC biomass deal.