From:                                         Susan Waltner <swaltner@smith.edu>

Sent:                                           Thursday, June 20, 2019 3:11 PM

To:                                               RPS, DOER (ENE)

Subject:                                     Proposed Biomass changes

 

Dear Mr. Wassam,

Thinking the close off date for comments on this issue were on June 7, I sent you the enclosed letter.  Since then I have heard that it might be better to include the letter in the contents of an email, so I have copied and pasted my original letter below.  I do need to say that I have continued to read the medical and scientific perspectives since then and I am even more convinced that our state must not offer new subsidies for biomass power.  We absolutely need our forests.  We need to keep the ones we have and add to them; we must not risk of MA citizens and the health of the planet by cutting down forests.  "Reforestation" does not make up for what we lose in carbon sequestration and loss of species.  A few more dollars short-term for some companies is absolutely not worth it.  Please pay attention to the science behind this.

Thanks you again,

Susan Waltner

 

 

June 7, 2019

                                                                                                9 North St., Box 773

                                                                                                Williamsburg, MA 01096

 

 

 

 

Mr. John Wassam                                                                       

Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

100 Cambridge Street Suite 1020

Boston, MA 02114

 

Re: Proposed Changes to the Renewable Portfolio Standard—Biomass

 

Dear Mr. Wassam,

 

I understand the deadline for public comment on this issue was 5:00 PM today, but I hope you will accept this letter a few minutes late.  I write to strongly oppose new incentives for biomass power generation.  I have lived in Western Massachusetts for over 50 years, having spent my entire working life here as a professor, and having raised my family (two daughters) here.  I cherish living in this state for many reasons, among them the thoughtful way in which the state government is responsive to the health and welfare of its citizens.

 

I have been following the developments surrounding this biomass question for the past several weeks.  I know that you have received many, many articulate, scientifically informed comments on this issue and I will not repeat them here.  I have just read though, the letter sent to you by Ellen Moyer, Ph.D., P.E., and I believe it particularly well addresses the issues and I urge you to read it carefully (again!).

 

It is clear that bioenergy is not carbon neutral; it is clear that forests sequester carbon; it is clear that we need more forests, not fewer; and, to quote from Dr. Moyer’s letter, “It’s time to say no to corporate welfare and yes to honest-to-god clean energy.  To successfully address our self-inflicted climate crisis, we need to stop burning biomass for energy and begin preserving and restoring plants and soils.”

 

For the health and welfare of all of us, and for the planet, I urge the DOER to not go backward, but to remove the proposed incentives for biomass power generation. Please.  This is vitally important.

 

Thank you,

 

Susan Waltner