Previous Case Activity
EPA’s final biomass rule casts a shadow over Southern forests
added 7.1.11
The Environmental Protection Agency today issued a final rule exempting biomass-energy facilities from limiting carbon pollution is a step backwards from efforts to address climate change, and cast a shadow over Southern forests.
The biomass industry and utilities have been moving briskly forward with plans to build new wood-burning plants, wood pellet factories and to convert fossil-fuel power plants to biomass. While biomass must be a part of an overall diverse portfolio of new energy sources in the U.S. for a cleaner, more sustainable power supply, all biomass is not equal. Biomass operations must be accountable for the carbon pollution that comes out of their smokestacks. This rule exempts them from any such accountability.
Read SELC's press release.
View our map showing the growth of the industry in the South.
SELC tells EPA it must account for carbon in burning biomass
added 2.15.11
SELC was inivited to present comments at a "listening session" held by the Environmental Protection Agency in Atlanta on February 15 on regulating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants and refineries.
Frank Rambo, head of SELC's Healthy Air and Clean Energy Program, focused on the need to account for carbon emissions in the cycle of burning woody biomass to convert to energy. SELC criticized the agency's recent announcement that it was delaying for three years a decision on whether to regulate carbon emissions from biomass-burning facilties - essentially giving a free pass to the industry for now.
In particular, SELC is concerned that a potential rush by electric utilitiesto cut down forests and burn whole trees could have devastating effects on water quality and wildlife habitat in the South.
Read Frank's prepared remarks here. (pdf)
Groups Appeal NC Decision to Allow Forests to Be Burned for Energy
added 11.11.10
Environmental Defense Fund and the Southern Environmental Law Center announced this week they are appealing a recent decision by the N.C. Utilities Commission that would allow Duke Energy to get renewable energy credits from harvesting and incinerating whole trees to produce electricity in old coal plants. Read our press release for more information
Utilities Commission decision on wood bioenergy underscores need for environmental safeguards
added 10.12.10
The North Carolina Utilities Commission ruled that Duke Energy can use electricity derived from burning whole trees, rather than just wood waste, to comply with state renewable energy targets. Read our press release for more information
SELC defends EPA decision on biomass emissions
added 7.7.10
SELC has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit to help the EPA defend its decision to count emissions from burning biomass under the agency's first-ever rule to control new greenhouse gas pollution. We filed the motion on behalf of Georgia Forest Watch and Wild Virginia, and jointly with the Clean Air Task Force which represents two other organizations.
In June, EPA issued the so-called "tailoring rule" to evaluate and limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in Clean Air Act permits for large stationary sources. The EPA declined to give biomass emissions a blanket exemption from the Act, as the industry and several members of Congress sought, and instead committed to continue scientific evaluation of the full carbon footprint of biomass energy.
As we noted in our motion, burning whole trees in mature forests, which are carbon "sinks" because they absorb and hold carbon dioxide, can actually contribute more carbon dioxide than if the trees were left standing. We are advocating a full accounting of biomass energy to ensure this new source of energy doesn't end up doing more harm than good.
Read our press release for more.