From:                                         Peggy Wolff <peggylwolff@gmail.com>

Sent:                                           Thursday, May 23, 2019 10:19 AM

To:                                               RPS, DOER (ENE)

Subject:                                     Biomass subsidies

 

To: John Wassam, Department of Energy Resources

From: Peggy Wolff, M.S., R.N., 126 Cave Hill Rd., Leverett, MA

Date: May 23, 2019

Subject: Proposed Changes Prioritizing Biomass Plants for Subsidies under the new Clean Peak Energy Standard by the Department of Energy Resources

 

I appreciate having an opportunity to offer written testimony on the proposed changes by Department of Energy Resources to prioritize biomass plants for subsides under the new Clean Peak Energy Standard and to increase financial support for garbage incinerators.

I am a Master’s prepared registered nurse, a mother, and grandmother of a child with asthma who lives in Brookline, MA. I have spent 7 years (1994-2000) recovering from an environmental illness. Once I recovered, I counseled patients with environmental illnesses until my retirement 3 years ago.

I am strongly opposed to weakening the protective regulations that currently restrict biomass in the Renewable Portfolio Standard.  You are opening the door to wood-burning power plants; I want to ask you if you would like a wood-burning power plant in your backyard? These proposed changes would greatly increase CO2 as well as increase particulate matter leading to even more cases of asthma.

Last week, I attended the hearing at UMass, Amherst and heard an overwhelming, “just say no” response to the DOER proposed changes. It was also thoughtless not to have had a microphone; even if you had not thought about it before the meeting, surely someone could have gotten one. It more than gives the “I don’t really want to hear you” impression.

It is critical to know the following:

Burning wood increases air pollution.

 Burning wood is not climate-friendly.

 Forests are essential for our future.

 Clean energy doesn’t come out of a smokestack.

 Please know that those of us who reside in Western Massachusetts will be most adversely affected if wood biomass continues to be part of the Alternative Portfolio Standard. Do the right thing while we still have a chance to protect ourselves and our planet.

Thank you.