For immediate release:
Contact: Attorney Margaret Sheehan, 508-259-9154, meg@ecolaw.biz or James Maloy, President – Concerned Citizens of Gadsden County, admin@biomess.us, 850-583-1017.
A national coalition of 48 citizen and environmental groups including Concerned Citizens of Gadsden County today launched a nationwide campaign to end federal financing for biomass incinerators being called “green energy.” The groups delivered letters to Senate Finance Committee Chairs Max Baucus (D-MT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) in response to increased lobbying by the Biomass Power Association, timber, waste and energy companies seeking to create or extend lucrative tax credits for burning biomass (trash, tires, and anything else) to produce electric power. The groups say the biomass plants pose an undue risk to public health and the environment.
The letter says promoting these incinerators with public subsidies “on the false claim that it is “green” electricity is indefensible public policy.” The letter contains a chart comparing biomass emissions to coal, concluding that, “Current research, data from company permits and proposals, environmental impact reports, and government analyses show that for several key pollutants (notably CO2, NOx and particulates) biomass burning is “dirty energy” – worse than coal – and not “clean energy” as the industry claims.”
The letter notes that the 20,000-member Massachusetts Medical Society recently resolved to adopt a policy opposing biomass power plants on the grounds that they pose ‘an unacceptable health risk,’ and that similar resolutions have been passed by the American Lung Association of New England and the Florida Medical Society, in response to a spate of biomass power plant proposals in recent years.
“President Obama has announced a freeze on domestic spending for next year’s budget. There are two hundred biomass plants lining up for grants in lieu of tax credits under the stimulus package, at a cost to taxpayers of at least a half a billion dollars. Ending subsidies for incinerators falsely claiming to be clean energy is a good place to start cleaning up the federal budget deficit,” said Attorney Margaret Sheehan, spokesperson for the group.
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*BiofuelWatch*Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League*
Buckeye Forest Council*Caney Fork Headwaters Association*Citizens Alliance for a Clean Healthy Economy*Citizens for a Safe Environment*Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities*Concerned Citizens of Crawford County*Concerned Citizens of Franklin County*Concerned Citizens of Gadsden County*Concerned Citizens of Russell*Cumberland Countians for Peace and Justice*Dogwood Alliance*EcoLaw*Energy Justice Network*Environmental Alliance of North Florida*Finger Lakes Zero Waste Coalition*Florida League of Conservation Voters*Floridians Against Incinerators in Disguise*Forest Ecology Network*Friends of Freetown/Fall River State Forest*Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives*Green Berkshires, Inc.*Green Delaware*Green Party of Florida*Green Press Initiative*Greenwich Citizens Committee, Inc.*Heartwood Alliance*HOPE (Help Our Polluted Environment)*Institute for Local Self Reliance*Jones River Watershed Association*Jones River Landing Environmental Heritage Center* Massachusetts Forest Watch*Neighbors Against the Burner*Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility*Oregon Center for Environmental Health*Physicians for Social Responsibility/Tampa Bay Chapter*Pike Gibson Citizens for a Quality Environment*Pioneer Valley Preservation Coalition*RESTORE: The North Woods*Samson County Citizens of a Safe Environment*Save America’s Forests*Sequoia ForestKeeper*Sound Resource Management*Stop Spewing Carbon* Trout Unlimited/Greater Boston Chapter*Washington Against Biomass Incineration*World Species List – Natural Features Registry Institute
Contact: Dr. William Sammons, 781-799-0014, bill@ecolaw.biz
Attorney Margaret Sheehan, 508-259-9154, meg@ecolaw.biz
gainesvilleflorida