Stop Polluting Biomass

Protect Communities and Forests from Biomass Destruction

California’s proposed wood-pellet plants threaten forests, pollute communities, and accelerate climate change.

The climate crisis demands real and meaningful actions to protect our communities and the planet. Yet, California is considering a dangerous false solution: wood pellet biomass, which involves destroying forests to burn trees for electricity while falsely labeling this as renewable energy.

The truth is biomass power plants emit 50 percent more carbon pollution than coal.

Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR) is pushing forward two massive biomass projects in California. And GSNR has recently released an environmental assessment report to promote the plan and has opened a 60-day comment period. However, we already know the devastating pollution and forest destruction this industry causes. Drax is the major industrial partner to GSNR for these projects and has a notorious record, with 189 violations of Canadian environmental law and extensive opposition in the US Southeast due to the pollution from its plants. Bringing Drax to California would likely result in similar harm to local communities and forests.

The increased carbon pollution from these biomass power plants disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. Residents near these sites often suffer from respiratory illnesses, must endure dust and noise pollution, and face severe disruptions to their daily lives.

It’s crucial that California, a leader in climate action, recognizes the threat posed by forest biomass. We must urge Governor Newsom and GSNR to pursue real, sustainable solutions that protect our climate, wildlife, forests, and the health of vulnerable communities.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom Must Reject Forest Biomass to Protect Communities and the Climate

Mr./Ms./Mx.

Gavin

Newsom

California Natural Resources Agency

GSNR

Golden State

Natural Resrouces

Golden State Natural Resources

Office of

Golden State

Finance Authority

Golden State Finance Authority

To:
Gov. Gavin Newsom
Golden State Natural Resources
Golden State Finance Authority

In California, there is a proposal to build two enormous wood-pellet manufacturing plants. If built, these plants would produce about 1 million metric tons of wood pellets per year, decimating forests and polluting communities.

Burning wood pellets to produce electricity creates greater climate emissions than burning coal. And forests are an important factor in mitigating climate change – as long as they’re standing and not destroyed. Plus, wood pellet production facilities themselves are extremely dirty, spewing particulate matter, NOx, SOx, heavy metals (lead, mercury), and hazardous air pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, and dioxins. Exposure to these pollutants is linked to an increased risk of premature death and serious illnesses including cancer, respiratory diseases, and heart disease.

The plan is to export the pellets out of the Port of Stockton, which is a community already burdened by air pollution and lots of traffic. Adding more polluting facilities and traffic will only make it worse. The Port of Richmond in 2023 already rejected a proposal that Richmond serve as a pellet export terminal. The people of Stockton should not have to sacrifice their health for a false solution to the climate crisis.

Drax, the British company who will run these plants, has a long history of polluting communities and not sticking to their promises not to use whole trees. In fact, Drax was found to have violated Candian environmental laws 189 times.

From the forests all the way to the export and burning of wood pellets, plus the many steps in between, biomass will have a negative effect on the State of California and beyond. I urge you to make every effort to ensure these “bioenergy” industry projects do not have a home in California. Our climate and our communities cannot afford it.

Thank you for your consideration and I would appreciate a reply.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name},

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Sincerely,
John Smith