From:                                         Fran Ludwig <fludwig12@yahoo.com>

Sent:                                           Friday, June 7, 2019 2:44 PM

To:                                               RPS, DOER (ENE)

Cc:                                               Judge, Michael (ENE)

Subject:                                     Proposal to include biomass as renewable source of energy

Attachments:                          IMG_1659.jpg

 

Please consider this my comment on your proposal to include the burning of biomass in the RPS criteria.

 

The intent of the RPS is to reduce carbon emissions. Trees, especially mature trees sequester carbon.  Replacing  trees that might be burned for electricity is a great idea, but it would take decades to reach the sequestration ability of mature trees.  As environmentalist Bill McKibben says, "If you burn a tree, you put a lot of carbon into the atmosphere right away, trapping heat at precisely the moment that we desperately need to be cooling the earth. A slowly growing new tree won’t suck it all back up until after we’ve broken the back of the climate."   Dr. Bill Moomaw from Tufts documents the role of trees in reducing carbon in the atmosphere.  ACCORDING TO THE LATEST SCIENCE, WE DON'T HAVE DECADES TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE OUR CARBON EMISSIONS AND WE MUST USE EVERY POSSIBLE SOLUTION, INCLUDING ALLOWING TREES TO GROW TO MATURITY, TO AVOID THE WORST CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.  

 

In addition burning biomass adds particulates to the air that are harmful to health exacerbating asthma, heart disease and cancer in people who live near biomass power plants.  Likely these would be people who cannot afford to live elsewhere.  WE ARE BATTLING INEQUITY IN MA.  Why would we choose to do this?  

 

It makes no sense to eliminate the "low-impact" incentives for hydropower or to cut short the SREC-1 solar incentive if we are serious about reducing carbon emissions QUICKLY while protecting the environment.   PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE OF REDUCING CARBON AND PROMOTING A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.  Reject the proponents of these changes -- their profit motive is NOT in the public interest.

 

In addition, many people are not aware of the proposed changes in regulations.  I urge you to extend the comment period for this most important proposal.

 

Attached please see some major reasons why I want a liveable carbon-free future

 

Fran Ludwig

19 Wyman Rd.

Lexington MA