From:                                         Diane Simpson <simpsond65@gmail.com>

Sent:                                           Friday, July 26, 2019 9:08 AM

To:                                               RPS, DOER (ENE)

Subject:                                     Rolling Back the RPS Standards Not a Good Idea

 

Good morning, Mr. Wassam,

I was alerted by my neighbor to DOER's plan to lower some of the criteria for our Renewable Portfolio Standards.

Parts of the new standards militate against the stong science-based standards that Massachusetts adopted in 2012 recognizing the environmental and public health impacts of biomass energy.

The changes would mean that the proposed Palmer biomass facility for East Springfield would qualify forevermore for $5 to $10 million annually in renewable energy credits, while adding more air pollution to a low-income community already burdened with alarmingly high rates of heart disease, asthma, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic health issues. Did you realize that Springfield has been named “Asthma Capital of the U.S.” by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America? And the American Lung Association rated Hampden County worst in the state for its high ozone levels in its 2018 “State of the Air” report?

Our state is currently the only one that considers greenhouse gas emissions as criteria for biomass eligibility in its renewable portfolio standard. Not a shining example!

Massachusetts has always been a leader in Green Energy. Now is not the time to go backwards.

 

--Diane(:^[

FRIENDLY BOARD ADMINISTRATOR EMERITA

Capitalism that is not responsibly regulated consumes itself...AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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DIANE SIMPSON | TREASURER-SECRETARY BROOKSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

65 CORNWALL STREET—JAMAICA PLAIN COHOUSING

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