Join the folks in the Hoosic Valley who are working together to address the Pownal Incinerator Proposal.
Check out the Bennington-Berkshire Ctizens' Coaltion Website:
http://benningtonberkshirecc.org/
Concerned Citizens of Pownal and Concerned Citizens Williamstown have merged to form the “Bennington-Berkshire Citizens Coalition.” The name emphasizes region-wide cooperation as the group works to educate residents of both counties about biomass incineration, its hazards for people and the environment, and the history of Beaver Wood Energy, LLC, the company that proposes to build a 29.5 megawatt biomass-burning facility at the former Green Mountain Racetrack in Pownal, VT
Click Here for Biomass Basics PDF File
Floridians and Vermonters talk about biomass:
One big problem with biomass burning is particulate emissions. Burning biomass puts out more particulates per megawatt hour of electrcity generated than burning coal. The Pownal proposal also includes a pellet operation. Usually, large amounts of damp bark or other low-grade fuel are burned to dry the pellet material, so there's another high particulate producer. Particulate pollution tends to fall out of the air within a few miles of the stack. The valley geography of the Pownal area will lend itself to high particulate levels for residents.
There is no safe level of particulate pollution. Study after study has shown a tight link between particulate pollution levels in a community's air and the rates of respiratory illness, asthma medication use, heart disease, cancer, and Emergency Room visits. In fact mortality rates fluctuate in lock step with air particulate levels. This has been seen again and again; for instance, after the mill closes down, average lifespan in a mill town will jump up a couple of years. Doctors have spoken out about biomass plant construction, particulate pollution and public health down in Western Mass: click here.
Questions to ask the biomass developers:
Will they suspend burning on days when air particulate pollution is at a dangerous level?
Will they pay fair, pre-plant-construction prices for Pownal homes whose residents have to move due to respiratory health problems?
Would they build an operation like this near their own home or family?