(Data assembled by Ecolaw, Cambridge, MA)<\/p>\n
FACT:\u00a0Burning biomass for energy is \u201cdirtier\u201d than burning coal. Burning biomass emits large amounts of air pollution, and endangers human health.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n FACT:\u00a0Burning biomass to generate electricity is not carbon neutral. Under current or proposed laws biomass burning will dramatically increase greenhouse gases because the emissions are higher than coal per unit of power produced, and, because of the \u201cbiomass loophole\u201d, the CO2 emissions from these plants are reported by EPA on e-grid as zero.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026<\/strong>for a given amount of\u00a0CO2 released today, \u2026 30 percent will be removed over a few centuries, and the remaining 20 percent will only slowly decay over time such that it will take many thousands of years to remove from the atmosphere.\u201d\u00a0Federal Register, Vol 74, p 18899, 4\/24\/2009.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n FACT:\u00a0Greenhouse gas emissions from biomass incinerators are significant and will undermine initial efforts to cut US greenhouse gas emissions.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n FACT:\u00a0Biomass harvesting over-exploits forests and degrades their vital ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n FACT:\u00a0Biomass energy wastes water and pollutes rivers<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Information on the hazards of particle pollution is available from EPA at\u00a0http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/particles\/<\/a> and American Lung Association at\u00a0www.lungusa.org<\/a><\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Emissions data from environmental reports for proposed Russell, Palmer, and Pioneer Renewable Energy plants (Massachusetts) Boardman coal fired plant in Portland, OR and the PVEC gas fired plant in Holyoke, MA.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a><\/p>\n [5]<\/a> EIA<\/p>\n [6]<\/a> David Hawkins of NRDC before Senate Committee on the Environment July 7, 2009.<\/p>\n [7]<\/a> Data from environmental reports for proposed Russell, Palmer, and Pioneer Renewable Energy plants (Massachusetts). The \u201cbiomass availability report\u201d prepared for the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) by Innovative Natural Resource Solutions (2007) states that 13,000 tons of biomass are required per MW of generation annually.<\/p>\n [8]<\/a> Data from a Hubbard Brook Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site study show that recovery from logging takes decades <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n [9]<\/a> Environmental impact reports of all plants and equipment specifications show a linear increase in cooling water needs with increase in ambient air temperature.<\/p>\n [10]<\/a> Climate Change Impacts, White House Report 2009, Executive Summary, www.globalchange.gov\/usimpacts and Climate Change 2007: IPCC 4th<\/sup> Assessment report<\/p>\n [11]<\/a> Data from a Harvard Forest Brook LTER site cutting study quantified CO2\u00a0emissions from soils and forest residues after logging.<\/p>\n (Data assembled by Ecolaw, Cambridge, MA) FACT:\u00a0Burning biomass for energy is \u201cdirtier\u201d than burning coal. Burning biomass emits large amounts of air pollution, and endangers human health. Biomass burning is dirtier than burning coal. Per unit of power generated, burning … Continue reading \n
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[1]<\/a> Emissions data from environmental reports for proposed Russell, Palmer, and Pioneer Renewable Energy plants (Massachusetts) Boardman coal fired plant in Portland, OR and the PVEC gas fired plant in Holyoke, MA.<\/p>\n
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