Mass. Dept. of Energy Resources Suspends Biomass Applications As The Number of Projects in Florida Explodes with blessings of State and local politicians and community leaders desperate for revenue

As projects for Biomass incinerators are announced all over the State of Florida, similar to the project recently announced for Gretna, Florida (pictured), Massachussets has chosen to take a step back to review the troubling information being brought to their attention by concerned citizens, health officials and environmental groups. Below is a letter from Dr. Ron Saff, an Asthma and Allergy specialist in Tallahassee, Florida that was sent to Secretary Sole of the Florida DEP urging him to reconsider the recent wave of Biomass Plant applications sprouting up all over the State of Florida.

Massachussets has been fighting these Biomass Incinerators for some time now……and finally are receiving some results from their tireless efforts. Well done to the people of Massachussets and all those involved!

Click the link below to download the pdf file and read the decision from the Massachusets Department of Energy Resources:

Subject: Mass DOER Suspends Biomass Plant Applications

Sent: Fri, Dec 4, 2009 6:15 am

Dear Secretary Sole, the Mass Dept of Energy Resources, realizing the importance of all the issues that  the environmental and health care community have discussed with you including devastation of forests and global warming, has suspended biomass plant applications.Please read the attachment and I ask you to respectfully do the right thing, which is to follow the lead of the state of Mass and suspend all biomass applications in Fl. The Fla Med Asssoc ,worried about the health impacts of biomass plant and other incincerator technologies, urges state govt to minimize their approval and construction.

The regulatory framework for qualifying biomass burning as “renewable” is entirely premised on the unsubstantiated “assumption”(EPA’s word) that biomass power production is neutral.The carbon neutral “assumption” has completely been debunked and the author of most of the Kyoto protocols, Dr Hamburg, admits that the carbon accounting flaw that allows biomass CO2 to escape regulation is an egregious error.Incinerating our forests for electricity is clearly not sustainable . Gov Crist in July 2007 signed Executive Order 07-127 ordering DEP to immediately develop rules to require three reduction milestones in greenhouse gases.

The only thing “green” about biomass plants is the amount of money they will make for investors. A recent article in Scientific American stated that we can meet a 100% of our energy needs on wind, water and solar power, I will forward. A recent study from Duke University said that the Southeast can meet its energy needs on conservation measures alone. Since this letter from the MASS DOER represents an extraordinary change in events, I will contact your office next week to set up another meeting.

Thanks, Ron Saff, MD