FINAL MASSACHUSETTS BIOMASS REGULATIONS LEAD NATION, DRAW
PRAISE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES
CONTACT:
Ben Carmichael, CLF, (617) 850-1743 or bcarmichael@clf.org
James McCaffrey, Sierra Club, (617) 903-8440 or james.mccaffrey@sierraclub.org
Meg Sheehan, Biomass Accountability Project, (508) 259-9154 or meg@ecolaw.biz
Mary Booth, PFPI, (917) 885-2573, or mbooth@pfpi.net
Sami Yassa, NRDC, (415) 269-1355 or syassa@nrdc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOSTON, MA August 17, 2012 – Leading local, regional and national environmental
organizations and activists applauded the Patrick administration for the final biomass
regulations which take effect today, calling the new Massachusetts rules a model for the
nation and a win for science-based policy.
Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), the Biomass Accountability Project, the
Partnership for Policy Integrity, Massachusetts Sierra Club, Mass Audubon, and the
Natural Resources Defense Council today applauded the Patrick Administration for
developing a nation-leading policy that sets a high bar for biomass-burning facilities to
qualify for incentives under the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Under the
new rules, facilities that are particularly inefficient – such as traditional large biomass
power plants that waste most of the heat generated by wood burning – no longer will
qualify for ratepayer-funded incentives.
The groups called the new rules consistent with the state’s mandate to dramatically
reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and applauded the incorporation of sciencebased carbon accounting principles in determining eligibility for the incentives. The new
rules require that biomass plants rely predominantly on “residues” rather than whole trees
to demonstrate emissions reductions of at least 50 percent over 20 years as compared to
natural gas. The groups said the rules were consistent with the findings of a 2010 statecommissioned study by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, which cautioned
that different biomass fuels have different impacts and need to be accounted for
accordingly.
The groups also applauded the regulations’ requirement that fuels be sustainably
harvested in order to protect forests’ critical role in absorbing carbon from the
atmosphere, as well as to protect important ecosystems. One key element of the new
requirements is that a portion of tops and limbs from harvested trees must be retained in
the forests to replenish soil nutrients, provide habitat, and promote forest resilience.
> Sue Reid, VP and Director, CLF Massachusetts, said, “With these new regulations,
Massachusetts reinforces its leadership role in the clean energy revolution. The old rules
seriously risked undermining the state’s ambitious climate targets by promoting projects
that put more carbon pollution into the air. Recognizing those risks, the Patrick
Administration has developed nation-leading rules that embrace the core principles of
sound biomass policy: the new rules will promote far more efficient use of biomass fuel,
lower greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce risks to critical forest resources. We applaud
the Administration for driving this science-based policy forward and hope it will become
a model for other New England states and the rest of the country.”
“The new regulations prove grassroots activism works,” said Meg Sheehan, who led the
2010 effort by the Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign to get a question on the state-wide
ballot on this issue. “The Patrick Administration listened to our call to change the law to
stop wasting ratepayer money on subsidies for energy production that destroys forests
and undermines climate change goals.” Sheehan continued, “These regulations will
reduce ratepayer subsidies for dirty wood burning biomass incinerators that don't deserve
them. The biomass industry falsely claimed that burning trees for electricity was clean,
green, and carbon neutral. The Patrick Administration's leadership on this issue paves the
way for other other governments to take action to adopt a biomass energy policy based on
an objective assessment of the law and science, and we aim to help that happen."
Mary Booth, Director of the Partnership for Policy Integrity, said, “Renewable energy
shouldn’t make climate change worse. By restricting subsidies to higher efficiency
biomass facilities with lower net carbon emissions, the Patrick Administration has based
renewable energy policy on sound science.”
James McCaffrey, Director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club, said, “Massachusetts is a
leader nationwide on renewables and energy efficiency, and is now the first in the nation
to update its biomass energy incentive programs so they are truly green and aligned with
the latest science. These new regulations will create jobs by driving innovation in the
renewable energy sector while curbing CO2 emissions, raising efficiency standards, and
preserving our finite forest resources.”
Jack Clarke, Mass Audubon's Director of Public Policy and Government Relations,
noted the importance of aligning the state’s energy and forest conservation strategies.
These regulations help ensure that forests that provide clean air and water, wildlife
habitat, and quality of life will not be over-harvested for an inefficient use. The new
standards promote the responsible use of wood as a renewable fuel, while helping to
maintain forestscapacity to store carbon and provide a natural landscape that is healthy
and resilient.”
“The new Massachusetts regulations set the standard for the rest of the nation, said Sami
Yassa, Senior Scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council.The science now
shows that not all biomass is created equal; burning whole trees generates more carbon
pollution compared to fossil fuels such as coal. Hopefully other states and the EPA will
follow the Massachusetts model and reward only clean forms of biomass fuel.”
CLF, the Biomass Accountability Project, Partnership for Policy Integrity and MA Sierra
Club are among the leading voices from the environmental, clean energy and grassroots
activist communities who worked together to press for this favorable policy outcome.
Mass Audubon, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental League of
Massachusetts, Tim Searchinger of Princeton University and Bill Moomaw of Tufts and
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are but a few of the dozens of
individuals and organizations who lent instrumental input to the policy-making process.
The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the
benefit of all people. Using the law, science and the market, CLF creates solutions that
preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy
region-wide. Founded in 1966, CLF is a non-profit, member-supported organization with
offices in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The Biomass Accountability Project (BAP) is a national grassroots organization
dedicated to research, education, and outreach about the fiscal, health and climate
impacts of biomass combustion. Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign, an affiliate of BAP, is
a Massachusetts-based citizen effort, responsible for the 2010 voter ballot initiative that
would have reduced subsidies for biomass incinerators.
The Partnership for Policy Integrity is a science-based advocacy organization that
provides scientific and legal analysis to local, state and national groups on impacts from
false energy solutions” such as biomass power plants that rely on forest harvesting for
fuel.
The Sierra Club is the nation’s largest grassroots non-profit environmental organization
with 20,000 members in Massachusetts and more than 1 million members and supporters
nationwide dedicated to the preservation, protection, and exploration of the earth’s
natural environment.
Mass Audubon works to protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and wildlife.
Together with more than 100,000 members, we care for 35,000 acres of conservation
land, provide school, camp, and other educational programs for 225,000 children and
adults annually, and advocate for sound environmental policies at local, state, and federal
levels.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit
environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists.
Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to
protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has
offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago,
Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter
@NRDC.
Ben Carmichael
Senior Communications Manager
Conservation Law Foundation
62 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02110