Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Biomass Conference at WNEC
Attorney Meg Sheehan
Four large-scale wood-burning biomass electrical plants are planned, by private developers, for the Western Massachusetts towns of Russell, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Greenfield. (A 15 Megawatt plant in Fitchburg is already in operation.) The Russell, Greenfield, and Springfield plants are well along in the permitting process, having cleared a significant hurdle— MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act) approval by the state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
MEPA approval was not as onerous for these project developers as it could have been. Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, in all three cases, ruled that no Environmental Impact Report (EIR) need be filed. Bowles has also chosen to examine each plant as a separate entity, instead of looking at the combined environmental impact of the five plants. "The cumulative demands for clean wood for various projects, and whether they exceed the forest supply without violating state forest cutting regulations, wetlands protection requirements and other environmental laws are beyond the scope of this project's review," Bowles wrote in this decision.
On June 16, the Springfield Area Sustainable Energy Association (SASEA) sponsored a panel discussion at Western New England College on "The Dangers of Wood-Burning Electrical Plants (Biomass Incinerators) in Greater Springfield and Western Massachusetts." Speakers included Dr. Ellen Moyer, Ph.D, P.E., principal of Greenvironment LLC; Chris Matera, P.E., founder of Massachusetts Forest Watch; Jana Chicoine, spokesperson for Concerned Citizens of Russell, and Margaret E. Sheehan, an environmental lawyer from Williamstown.
Biomass incineration, explained Sheehan, while banned in New Hampshire and Connecticut, is encouraged in Massachusetts through provisions of the Green Communities Act and Global Warming Solutions Act. Federal and state funding is available for the contruction and operation of biomass plants, she said. "The plant in Greenfield will be eligible to collect 60 million dollars in stimulus money from within three weeks of coming on line. The plant will receive production tax credits and investment tax credits, and will generate RECs, or renewable energy credits, that fossil-fuel burning plants must buy in order to be in compliance with state law... These facilities are not financially viable without subsidies from taxpayers and ratepayers. All of us are paying for these plants to be built."
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