“The American Lung Association of Massachusetts has serious concerns about the
proposed Biomass Power Plant in Russell, Massachusetts because of the
significant impact of this project on air quality. The health of area residents and
those in surrounding communities could be adversely affected by thousands of
pounds of air pollutants emitted into the air daily, including nitrogen oxide or
NOx.”
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Read the letter below:
American Lung Association
of Massachusetts
July 14, 2006
Dear Editor:
The American Lung Association of Massachusetts has serious concerns about the
proposed Biomass Power Plant in Russell, Massachusetts because of the
significant impact of this project on air quality. The health of area residents and
those in surrounding communities could be adversely affected by thousands of
pounds of air pollutants emitted into the air daily, including nitrogen oxide or
NOx. NOx is a key component of ground level ozone, or smog, and is a lung
irritant. In the report that Russell Biomass filed with the Massachusetts
Environmental Policy Act Office, Russell Biomass LLC projected that the power
plant’s NOx levels would exceed the Federal EPA Limit for New Source Review
in an Ozone Non-Attainment Area. Under current regulations, the plant would be
allowed to purchase additional credits to produce the extra NOx. The reported
emissions also do not include the particulate matter produced by over 800 one-way
diesel truck trips serving the plant each week.
In the American Lung Association’s 2005 State of the Air report, Hampden and
Hampshire counties both received a grade of “F” for both ozone and particle
pollution. The health effects of ozone and particle pollution include wheezing,
shortness of breath, increased risk of asthma attacks, pulmonary inflammation, and
premature mortality.1 We have serious concerns that this proposed plant could
worsen the air quality in the already polluted Pioneer Valley.
The mission of the American Lung Association of Massachusetts is to prevent
lung disease and promote lung health. The proposed Russell Biomass power plant
is a potential health threat to thousands of Massachusetts’ residents and requires
the full attention of all Massachusetts’ citizens. Information about air pollution
and its health effects can be found at www.lungma.org, and information about the
power plant can be obtained from the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act
Office (MEPA) at http://www.mass.gov/envir/mepa/.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey E. Seyler
Chief Executive Officer
gainesvilleflorida