Dear Green American, Climate change is real. Some solutions are not. This is true when it comes to wood pellet biomass: cutting down forests, burning the trees, and then claiming forest destruction is a renewable energy source. That is what industry and some governments are claiming. Known as biomass or bioenergy, many countries burn wood pellets for electricity, claiming it’s green. But now Senator Cory Booker from NJ has introduced a bill to document the worst abuses of the practice. The Forest Biomass Emissions Act of 2024 (S.4153) would: Require the EPA to account for the full life cycle of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of electricity from forest biomass when enacting relevant rules and regulations. Task the EPA with conducting an evaluation of the impacts on communities living in the direct proximity of facilities involved in the production of electricity from forest biomass, including forest biomass harvesting areas, pellet mills, and power facilities. Mandate the EPA to collect data on air and noise pollution considering the race and socioeconomic status of impacted individuals, and to submit a report to Congress.
Power plants that burn biomass emit 50 percent more climate-wrecking carbon pollution than those burning dirty coal. In fact, in 2019 wood pellets sourced in the U.S. and burned for energy in the U.K. emitted a staggering 17.6 million tons of carbon dioxide. A huge percentage of the people who live near active biomass sites, wood pellet plants, and wood-burning power plants are from communities of color or low-income communities. Many people near these sites suffer from respiratory illnesses, must wear masks or leave their windows closed to keep dust out, and struggle to sleep at night due to the industrial noise. This is a grave environmental injustice. We must urge Congress to see forest biomass for what it really is: a threat to our climate, wildlife, forests, air quality, and the communities where polluters set up shop. Tell your Senators to show their support for The Forest Biomass Emissions Act of 2024 by becoming a cosponsor. |
