From:                                         Darcy Sweeney <darcysweeney@gmail.com>

Sent:                                           Thursday, June 6, 2019 7:58 PM

To:                                               RPS, DOER (ENE)

Subject:                                     biomass plant

 

 

 

 

No new Biomass Plant in Springfield – or Anyplace Else!

 

In addition to the serious consequences burning wood and construction debris poses to public health – especially in Springfield, where 20% of the population suffers from asthma (!) – another biomass plant will exacerbate, rather than help to alleviate, the climate crisis.

Burning biomass creates “black carbon” aka “soot.”  The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions states that “black carbon is a major contributor to global climate change, possibly second only to CO2 emissions.” 

Unlike CO2 which remains in the atmosphere for decades, black carbon stays in the atmosphere for only a few weeks, so reducing these black carbon emissions would have an immediate beneficial impact – something the Earth desperately needs as CO2 emissions continue to increase.

Additionally, we must not create any incentives for cutting down trees.  Mature trees sequester carbon far more effectively than do young trees.  Rather than cutting trees, we should be protecting older forests and planting new ones as another way to fight a looming climate-change catastrophe.

Only true renewables, like solar, can deliver the clean energy that the people of Springfield and the Valley deserve.  We’ve got to stop burning stuff – now!

 

Darcy Sweeney

31 Lexington Ave.

Florence, MA 01062