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