From: Britton, Laura (HOU) <laura.britton@mahouse.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 2:02 PM
To: RPS, DOER (ENE)
Subject: FW: [External]: Form Submission - New Form - Energy
Good
afternoon,
Please
see below testimony from a constituent.
Best,
Laura
Britton
Legislative
Aide
Pronouns:
she/her/hers
Office of Representative Lindsay Sabadosa | 1st Hampshire
76
Gothic Street, Northampton MA 01060 | 413-270-1166
State
House - Room 443, 24 Beacon St, Boston MA 02133 | 617-722-2460
Laura.Britton@mahouse.gov
From: Squarespace
[no-reply@squarespace.info]
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2019 11:13 PM
To: info@lindsaysabadosa.com
Subject: [External]: Form Submission - New Form - Energy
Name: Henry Euler
Email Address: hpeuler28@aol.com
Subject: Energy
Message: Written testimony for the June 5, 2019 Department of
Energy Resources Hearing in Springfield, MA
Our names are Henry Euler and Aline Euler. Our house is located at 28 Fuller
Road, Montgomery, MA 01085. We emphatically oppose any roll backs of Department
of Energy Resources’ rules that would allow polluting biomass plants to obtain
renewable energy subsidies in Massachusetts. We don’t want our tax money used
to support polluters! It is appalling to us that the Department of Energy
Resources would even be considering any changes that would benefit the biomass
burning industry.
We firmly believe that biomass burning is not renewable energy and should not
be included in renewable categories that include solar, wind and geothermal
generated energy sources. The Manomet Study shows that biomass burning is
dirtier than coal burning energy sources. Biomass burning releases significant
greenhouse gas emissions that would have a negative impact on our climate, and
on the health of people, especially those suffering from lung problems
including asthma.
Often times, we see plans for biomass burning incinerators being planned in
economically distressed communities, like in Palmer, MA, near Springfield. Many
residents in these types of areas are people of color, who would have to suffer
the consequences of breathing in polluted air. This type of development is
racist and discriminatory to poor people. We should be planning things like
solar farms and other types of clean energy producing alternatives to be
developed in these and other areas across Massachusetts. That is why we support
the many Environmental Justice organizations across the Commonwealth.
Also, what fuel is used in biomass burning incinerators? Wood. What types of
wood? There is a variety of wood that could be burned including construction
and demolition debris that can contain lead, arsenic, chromium and other
contaminants. Very dangerous to human health! Even when whole trees and
remnants of trees are burned, the effect can be very polluting. Tree burning
also encourages deforestation. Losing trees that absorb pollutants only makes
things worse for our health and our planet’s health.
In closing, we want to say that we support H. 853 which would take biomass out
of the Alternative Portfolio Standard and we would like to see this bill
amended to take biomass burning out of the Renewable Portfolio Standard too.
Massachusetts must not move backward and allow biomass burning to threaten the
environment of the Commonwealth again. Greenhouse gas emissions would increase
and continue to threaten the generations to come and foster more problems due
to climate change.
Aline Euler Henry Euler
CC: Governor Charlie Baker
State Senator Donald Humason
State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa
Congressman Richard Neal
Senator Elizabeth Warren
Senator Ed Markey
(Sent via LINDSAY SABADOSA)