From:                                         John Galt <john.galt5@verizon.net>

Sent:                                           Thursday, June 6, 2019 5:25 PM

To:                                               Judge, Michael (ENE); RPS, DOER (ENE)

Subject:                                     Abandon proposed changes to RPS Class I and RPS Class II regulations

 

Dear Mr. Judge and Mr. Wassam-

Once again, DOER has proven that it is entirely in the pocket of the wood-products industry and its well-paid lobbyists by trying to sneak through changes in the RPS class I and RPS Class II regulations with very limited time for public comment while totally ignoring the health and environmental concerns of ordinary citizens. I urge you to extend the public comment period beyond tomorrow, June 7, 2019.

Basically, in view of the rapidly changing climate environment in which we find ourselves, being carbon-neutral with trees is not enough. When you consider that trees are our only major agent of carbon-negativity, it becomes doubly important to leave existing trees alone so the chlorophyll in their leaves can continue to absorb carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere. The sooner we actually start to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere instead of just slowing the rate of increase, the sooner we can start to see the weather stop getting worse.

Wood-lot owners who depend on harvesting their wooded acres as a source of income should receive the tax-supported subsidies you currently are trying to earmark for biomass fuels. Stop all logging in state parks and state forests and set the state foresters to work planting new trees instead of spending their time marking trees to be cut. Use the subsidies you are planning to give to the biomass plants to subsidize building solar panel plants and put unemployed loggers to work making solar panes.

A live tree is carbon-negative. A cut tree is at best carbon-neutral and if you burn it, it is definitely carbon-positive for at least 30-50 years till the new tree that is planted in its place sucks up the carbon-dioxide the old tree spewed into the atmosphere the day you burned it. That theory worked 100 years ago when we did not have a climate crisis to worry about, but now we don???t have 30-50 years more to play with.

Massachusetts claims to be a leader in ameliorating climate change. Your proposed changes in the RPS Class I and RPS Class II regulations puts the lie to that claim. I urge you to abandon your efforts to change the RPS Class I and RPS Class II regulations.

Sincerely Yours,

John Galt

12 Kenilworth Street

Pittsfield MA 01201

 

Virus-free. www.avast.com