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Its nice to be well-balanced and rational when responding to biomass burning but its hard! The developer comes on like, "don't worry, the EPA will protect you" then you find out that TONS of particulates will be coming pout of the stack each month and that his whole rational scientific thing is a manipulation designed to help him make a bundle of money off of a deal that will sicken residents for years after he's gone.
>>Beaver Wood's 100-mile-diamater woodshed would stretch from South Berkshire to Fair Haven, Vt., and encompass most of Western Massachusetts.<<
I'm not so sure it was adequately explained that if all the recently proposed biomass incinerators were built in this region our forests would not be able to provide enough fuel even when the plants went to whole trees, which they surely will since there isn't enough wood "waste". In addition, much of that so-called "waste" needs to be left in the forest to breakdown and maintain nutrient levels in the soil and create habitat.
Further, those trees need to be standing in order to sequester carbon. Perhaps you've heard about the climate crisis?
Biomass incineration is the wrong pathway. It's all quick fix and greenspeak on the part of the industry and their friends in government. We need a war stance on energy conservation and efficiency before we go and decimate our forests in the name of energy independence or engage in euphemisms about biomass incineration being a "renewable" or "green".
Keep in mind that Williams has it own C)2 spewing co-generation plant. Williams wants to appear to be environmentally conscious. It's good for business.
http://tinyurl.com/24y2hya
http://tinyurl.com/2dbu2kn
Williams emissions in 2008 were 21,848 metric tonnes of eCO2, a 1% decrease from the prior year. The result was achieved by buying more electric from Canadian hydroelectric plants. It's still a lot to choke down.
Could Williams be planning on buying electric or steam or heat from the Beaver? Could they be investors in the project? Current or future?
Glad some people arent being fooled by these proponents. The McNeil biomass plant at Burlington VT tops the list as the #1 polluter in the state. This is what we spend taxpayer money thats supposed to be for "green" technology on? Thin film solar is here, geothermal is here. New Jersey is building at 24 MWH thin film solar array, enough to power 3500 plus homes, with little to no pollution. Lets get real with green, not use what Fred Flintstone would use.
Editor: These were not proponents; they were speaking from their expertise on how government regulates and permits.
Twenty years ago, residents in Williamstown were opposed to the building of a large co-generation incinerator in Pittsfield, at that time known as Altresco. Time has passed and you don't hear anything about the plant now managed by Covanta Energy Corp.
In fact, my understanding is that all Williamstown's household trash that we take to the transfer station is incinerated there and that the plant is starving for more stuff to burn. Cool, huh?
In recent years, Covanta has been fined thousands of $$$ for numerous emissions violations at its plants including at least two fines for violations in Pittsfield, MA one of which was for failing to report its emissions violations, and another for exceeding allowable dioxin emissions by almost 350c.
For this company the fines probably are not a big deal. On the other hand, breathing the air, is a big deal, whether we know we are breathing it or not!
Paul is leaning in the wrong direction on this one. Our ability to regulate Industrial pollution through law has drastically increased since the days of Sprague electric and the Tannery in Pownal. What are we really talking about here? We are talking about burning wood, and using the harvest of an abundant renewable fuel source ( local tree's) to produce electricity and wood pellets for local homes.
Laws also protest local forests from clear cutting and disproportionate harvests. I do agree that property owners near the site may experience a decrease in property value that should be compensated for. I am one of those property owners... but I won't protest if I am given nothing, because the benefit to the larger community far supersedes the risk to my property value in this case.
While hundreds of millions of dollars in tax incentives as well as hundreds of jobs a plant like this will produce are certainly attractive for the interests of the local economy, we need to be honest about the Elephant in the room here. A century of warfare waged largely for control of energy has led us to a place where we are currently sending a lot of young people overseas to fight a fight that is in part, a fight we wage because of our dependence on overseas energy. We truly need to think globally and act locally before we press the easy button and say "no". While bio fuel is not the only solution, it can and should be part of the solution. This plant will produce electricity and wood pellets to heat homes. While that may be a loud and unattractive process, it is nothing compared to the ugliness of war.
We should proceed with caution, but proceed we must. We must not maintain the status quo in the ways in which we consume and produce energy. That is the global priority. I own property right next to this plant, and I am from this area. Our first obligation here as a community is to use this opportunity given to us by the Obama administration to create this viable alternative energy biomass plant, reduce our consumption of outside energy resources, and allow for the creation of much needed jobs.
Have you enjoyed the seasonal, colorful flowers around Williamstown? Did you know these efforts are the work of Williamstown Garden Club (WGC) members?
These include the containers at town intersections, the post office, Town Hall, Milne Library, Field Park, and the bike path.
Are you eager to see the green boxes with cascading flowers return to Walley bridge, also the work of the WGC? The club needs to increase its membership to assist with these efforts, which are enjoyed by so many — both residents and those just passing through town.
Membership is open to all and offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to the community, as well as enjoy educational programs and garden tours. Learn more at williamstowngardenclub.org.
Kathy McKnight Williamstown, Mass.
McKnight is chair of the club's membership committee
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