Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency decided not to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from biomass energy plants for the next three years while the agency studies the issue.  At a time when science suggests that burning wood for energy could actually result in accelerated (rather than reduced) carbon emissions, this decision sets us on the wrong path to a clean energy future. In response to this decision by the EPA, Dogwood Alliance quickly issued a statement opposing large-scale, wood-based bioenergy and called on the EPA to stop the further expansion of large-scale biomass projects while the agency studies the environmental impacts.

With no CO2 regulation, insufficient smoke stack regulations and no regulation of forest management practices, the government has just opened the floodgates on yet another environmentally destructive, unregulated and unaccountable industry — all in the name of clean, renewable energy.  While there is an undeniable need to reduce carbon emissions and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, burning forests is not the answer. We should look to truly “clean” alternatives like solar and wind power, and leave our forests intact to help combat climate change.

Send a Letter to the EPA

Send a letter to the EPA telling them not to stand by while energy companies destroy our forests for fuel.  Rather than giving this industry a free pass to pollute the air and destroy our forests, ask the agency to institute a three-year moratorium on new large-scale biomass projects while they assess the impacts to climate, human health and forests.