Our new report “Wood Pellet Manufacturing: Risks for the Economy of the US South” sheds much needed light on the economic downsides of this rapidly expanding new industry. The bottom line? The wood pellet export market is simply not a very smart 21st Century economic development strategy for our Southern rural communities. We can and must do better to support the economic well-being of the South’s rural communities.
We’re pleased to report: mission accomplished! Over 2 weeks we held 10 powerful events in 6 different cities, reaching thousands of citizens and dozens of local organizations. These amazing people came together in unison to echo the SAVE OUR SOUTHERN FORESTS call.
Environmental groups delivered a petition signed by over 110,000 people to new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Amber Rudd. The petition calls for an end to government support for Drax’s new White Rose ‘carbon capture’ power station.
Recently a couple of us here at Dogwood went out on an investigation of the wood pellet manufacturing facilities in North Carolina. All of the facilities are owned and operated by Enviva and exist for the sole purpose of producing wood pellets to feed the market in Europe, particularly the UK-based utility company Drax.
Soaring demand for woody fuel has led to the construction of more than two dozen pellet factories in the Southeast and special port. European officials promote the trade as part of the fight against climate change. But that claim is increasingly coming under challenge.
