Groups from around the world today joined together to denounce the US government for allowing the first genetically engineered tree, a loblolly pine, to be legalized with no government or public oversight, with no assessment of their risks to the public or the environment, and without regard to overwhelming public opposition to GE trees.
Over 50,000 US citizens are appealing to European Commissioners Arias Cañete and Vella for a change in the EU legislation that has caused a boom in the demand for wood pellets produced from Southern US forests. Their demand is today being delivered to the European Commission by BirdLife Europe and the European Environmental Bureau.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has failed to protect the forests, communities and climate with its new proposed framework for regulating biogenic carbon emissions from stationary sources. They have not followed the recommendations of their own Scientific Advisory Board as well as the mounting government and academic research that burning trees for electricity is going to increase Carbon emissions and accelerate climate change.
This morning Dogwood Alliance, Virginia landowner and Hollywood Director, Ron Maxwell, and local community leaders spoke at a press conference to draw attention to the growing citizen opposition to the unchecked growth of the wood pellet export industry in Virginia and across the Southern United States
Whole trees are being converted into pellets, and shipped across the ocean to European power plants – all in the name of “clean energy.” Our new infographic is a great visual tool for understanding the issue.
