On July 4th, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) that Congress passed. Here’s what it means for Southern forests and communities.

Subsidies for biomass and biofuel expansion

The biomass industry is dirty and destructive. Biomass burns trees to generate electricity. It’s bad for forests, climate, and community health.

Biomass poses one of the biggest threats to Southern forests and communities. The South has been at the center of the expansion of biomass for over a decade. Subsidies from foreign governments fueled the industry’s expansion in the South. But, public outrage forced governments worldwide to acknowledge the negative impacts. Foreign subsidies are now faltering. This has slowed the rate of expansion in wood pellet production across the South. The biomass industry cannot expand without subsidies.

The OBBB includes subsidies that could fund a new wave of biomass power expansion. The biomass industry is working to build plants powered by Southern forests. There are now two proposed biomass plants in Georgetown, SC and Jesup, GA. Both are facing public opposition.

Drax Biomass is one of the largest companies in the biomass industry. Drax violated the Clean Air Act at its wood pellet mills many times. Its facilities in the US have broken environmental rules 11,000 times. The company had to pay millions of dollars in fines for breaking the law. Yet, Drax now wants to construct new biomass power plants in the South.

The biomass industry plans to use Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. Industry claims that this technology will capture carbon pollution and store it underground. They say that CCS is a climate solution. But CCS is an unproven technology. CCS does not make biomass clean, green, or good for the climate.

The OBBB contains specific subsidies for CCS. The biomass industry is wants these subsidies to fund their dirty biomass plants.

The bill also provides subsidies for turning trees into fuel to power airplanes. Industry calls this “Sustainable Aviation Fuel.”  But, powering planes with trees is not sustainable or green. It will increase pollution, speed up climate change, and destroy forests.

Increased logging on public and private lands

More biomass means more forest destruction across the rural South. More clearcuts. More monoculture pine plantations replacing native forests. This weakens forests’ ability to protect us from climate change. It destroys habitat for many plants and animals. It degrades water quality. It hurts the local economy.

Forests on private lands bear the brunt of logging across the South. But, the OBBB also calls for an expansion of logging on public lands. 12% of Southern forests are publicly-owned. National forests throughout the South are now at risk for increased logging.

Already, the Trump Administration is moving to make logging easier on public lands. In June, the Administration announced plans to rescind the Roadless Rule. This rule protects over a million of acres of pristine Southern forests from logging.

The South is already among the world’s largest wood-producing regions. The rate of logging in the South is four times greater than in South American rainforests. The South doesn’t need more logging. We need more forest protection.

Increased pollution

Biomass facilities, paper mills, and other wood-processing facilities emit toxic pollution. People living near these facilities suffer the most. Most often, these are communities of color with low wealth. Pollution from these plants can cause respiratory illnesses, heart problems, and cancer.

The OBBB cuts the Environmental Protection Agency’s pollution reduction, enforcement, and control. This favors polluters and weakens environmental protections.

This means more people are getting sick. Older adults, children, and people with existing health problems are at greatest risk. Many people living in communities with low income rely on Medicaid and other federal programs. These programs cover their healthcare costs. These cuts to healthcare will eliminate health coverage for 15 million people. It also will likely result in a decline in rural hospitals and those jobs.

The bill subsidizes polluting industries. It weakens federal regulations. And it cuts healthcare. This is a travesty for people living near polluting facilities.

Increased climate impacts

The expansion of biomass and logging will also make climate change worse. Burning trees for power releases more carbon than coal or gas. Logging also releases carbon stored in the living forest. It weakens forests’ ability to protect communities from floods, heatwaves, and droughts. A new study found that logging makes flooding eighteen times worse. Standing forests are vital to protecting our communities from extreme weather events.

The OBBB cuts funding to the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS is a vital source of information on extreme weather events in rural areas. The bill includes major cuts to FEMA. FEMA provides critical resources to people after climate-related disasters. It also provides resources for building more climate-resilient communities.

Five things we can do to protect Southern forests and communities

The OBBB contains many problematic provisions. But, we still have the power to protect our forests and communities.

1. Connect with your Congressional representatives

Educate them on the issues and share your concerns. These issues are not partisan. They affect us all. Hold your federal elected officials accountable. Your help can stop big bad biomass companies from getting subsidies. Your engagement can also protect forests from logging on public lands.

2. Support community organizing on the frontlines of biomass expansion

Local communities have stopped the construction of four biomass wood pellet facilities. They have also stopped two from expanding. Local communities can stop the further expansion of dirty biomass and biofuels projects. Help amplify their stories.

3. Take action to influence decisions at the local, state, and international levels

• Act now: Take Dogwood actions
• Stay engaged: Join our email list
• Sustain the movement: Become a Forest Defender
• Keep current: Follow us on social media
• Tell-a-friend: Share information and calls-to-action with your networks

4. Support the development of community-owned forests that leave forests standing and intact

Communities are not waiting for the government to protect forests. Two projects are now underway in the Pee Dee watershed of South Carolina. These projects focus on outdoor recreation as an economic alternative to industrial logging. Outdoor recreation creates five times as many jobs as the forest industry. This is the kind of rural economic development we need to expand across the South.

5. Connect with your community in your local forest

Don’t forget to take advantage of one of our region’s most valuable assets: Our beautiful and amazing forests! Make it a point to get out and enjoy the beauty of Southern forests. Connecting with each other in nature is crucial to sustaining the movement.