There are many reasons why biomass should not be
encouraged and there are no reasons to loosen regulations governing biomass
burning.
Biomass plants release more carbon dioxide per unit of electrical
energy produced than other forms of combustion for generation.
Mature forests are better than young ones at cooling the
environment.
Even proponents of wood burning now admit that it would
be many decades before any replacement forest growth sequesters as much carbon
as will be released by the burning of biomass, and there is evidence that even
this claim is false and that centuries old forests are better for sequestering
carbon. Even if it only takes a few
decades, who is to assure that the forests will be allowed all that time to
regenerate.
Cutting forests will create ideal habitat for ticks,
increasing the threat to human health from tick borne diseases.
The excuse that using forests for fuel will prevent forest lands from going
for inappropriate development is pretty
weak. Owners willing to see their
forests decimated so that they can be paid for the wood as fuel are not likely
to refuse a lucrative offer from a developer.
In fact, clearing forests can make land more attractive to a developer.
Please do not do anything to encourage biomass burning.
Robert Cherdack
1180 Hawley Road
Ashfield, MA 01330