Climate change is real. Some solutions are not. This is true when it comes to wood pellet biomass: cutting down forests, burning the trees, and then claiming forest destruction is a renewable energy source.
That is what industry and some governments are claiming. Known as biomass or bioenergy, many countries burn wood pellets for electricity, claiming it’s green. But now Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) - joined by Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) - has introduced a bill to stop the practice called The Forest Biomass Emissions Act of 2024 (S.4153).
Power plants that burn biomass emit 50 percent more climate-wrecking carbon pollution than those burning dirty coal.
A huge percentage of the people who live near active biomass sites, wood pellet plants, and wood-burning power plants are from communities of color or low-income communities. Many people near these sites suffer from respiratory illnesses, must wear masks or leave their windows closed to keep dust out, and struggle to sleep at night due to the industrial noise.
We must urge Congress to see forest biomass for what it really is: a threat to our climate, wildlife, forests, air quality, and the communities where polluters set up shop. Tell your Senators to show their support for The Forest Biomass Emissions Act of 2024 by becoming a co-sponsor.
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