From:                                         Niezrecki, Christopher <Christopher_Niezrecki@uml.edu>

Sent:                                           Tuesday, May 14, 2019 11:21 PM

To:                                               RPS, DOER (ENE)

Subject:                                     support H.853

 

Dear John Wassam,

I am writing to strongly oppose the proposed changes to RPS Class I and RPS Class II regulations that would weaken restrictions on the use of wood bioenergy. The university’s peer-reviewed scientific research has shown that the climate impacts of wood bioenergy are worse than coal for decades to centuries under most management scenarios. Massachusetts could be in a position to lead on science-based climate policy – instead the proposed changes would increase emissions of climate pollutants while diminishing the capacity of forests to absorb those pollutants. I urge you to demonstrate that Massachusetts embraces science-based policy by taking biomass out of the APS and ensuring that it is not included in the RPS.  Please support H.853, which aims to stop subsidies for wood bioenergy in the APS.

 

Sincerely,

 

Christopher Niezrecki, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Director, WindSTAR I/UCRC

University of Massachusetts Lowell

 

E-mail: Christopher_Niezrecki@uml.edu

Phone: 978-934-2963 (W)

Phone: 413-203-9059 (C)

www.uml.edu/windenergy