CLF STATEMENT: New Biomass Energy Regulations for Massachusetts

CONTACT:
Karen Wood, CLF, (617) 850-1722
Sue Reid, CLF, (617) 850-1740

BOSTON May 3, 2011—In response to the Patrick Administration’s new regulations on biomass energy announced today, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement:

“Massachusetts’ new biomass regulations rightly focus on meeting the state’s mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Sue Reid, VP and director, CLF Massachusetts. “They are designed to prevent a potential ecological ‘double whammy’ from the burning of forest wood to produce electricity. Without these new regulations, a biomass power plant owner could receive substantial incentives for cutting down whole trees and burning them to produce electricity – a system that would reduce the health of our forests and limit their ability to absorb the very same type of greenhouse gas emissions that the biomass power plants would produce in large quantities. But under the new regulations, in order to be eligible for Massachusetts renewable energy incentives, biomass projects will have to demonstrate that they are significantly more efficient and less polluting, and that their fuel supply will not jeopardize our forests. We are encouraged that the state has looked to the latest science and public input to craft these nation-leading regulations and to identify more responsible policies for biomass energy in Massachusetts.”

Background

Conservation Law Foundation has been instrumentally involved in the debate over biomass in Massachusetts, helping to bridge the gap between environmental interests, forest advocates and policymakers in the state. CLF and others have fought for science-based rulemaking that would allow certain biomass projects to receive state subsidies only if they contribute to the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals while ensuring protection of its valuable forestry resources.

To read the proposed draft regulations in their entirety, click here.

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.