Transcript Springfield Biomass Plant Proposal

Nicole Loeffler-Gladstone
Lena Amick
Sid Salvi
2
Springfield
Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Sept 08 Oct Nov Dec
Jan 09 Feb
March
Opposition by
environmental-ists
in Russell
East Springfield
Neighborhood
Council approves
biomass plant
Springfield City
Council approves
biomass plant 7-2
vote.
April May June
July Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec Jan 2010
PRE plant
receives
MEPA
certificate
State
temporarily
suspends
permit
Public hearing
in Holyoke:
community
opposition
Over 100 community
members speak out
against biomass at the
Pine Point Community
Center
3

Burning organic material (wood) for fuel
 Burning wood heats water
 Steam powers turbine

PRE plant would burn:
 700 tons/day of construction and demolition debris
(CDD) wood
 200 tons/day green wood chips
4
5
Why?
a. Helps policymakers
do the most good
given the choices
available
b. Compare benefits
and costs in
standard units
Components
a. Economic Benefits
and Costs
b. Environmental Costs
c. Health Care Costs
6





470,000 tons of CO2 per year1
134 tons of NOx per year2
46 tons of particulates per year
156 tons of CO per year3
Volatile Organic Compounds, arsenic,
copper, chromium (from pressure-treated
wood), lead (from paint), and chlorine (from
glues and plastics).
1. Data for proposed biomass plants. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance.
http://www.massenvironmentalenergy.org/plantdata.html
2. Mary Booth’s presentation, Springfield Public Health Council Meeting, 11/18/09
3. Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC, Major Comprehensive Plan Application. Nov 21, 2008
7
4.
Lower air quality (e.g. increased CO2,
VOCs, particulate matter, ground level
ozone)1
Greater deforestation
Destruction of wildlife habitats
Deterioration of water resources

1 Mary Booth, Springfield Public Health Council Meeting, 11/18/09
1.
2.
3.
8




NOx: precursor of ground-level ozone, linked to
asthma
Particulate Matter (also DPM): linked to asthma,
heart disease, cancer; Diesel PM from trucking,
logging.
Hazardous Air Pollutants: asbestos, chloroform persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic
Metals: non-degradable, accumulative (lead,
mercury)
9

High incidence of respiratory diseases in
Springfield
 Twice the state average hospitalization rate for asthma
 Among the highest non-cancer respiratory risk and
carcinogenic risk in the country.
Source: Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services, 2006
10
11
1.
2.
3.
4.
Deaths due to increased incidence of
respiratory diseases
Increased hospital and medical expenditures
Increased school absences1
Lower productivity2
1 Rivkin et al. “Does Pollution Increase School Absences?” The Review of Economics and Statistics;
November 2009, 682-694
2 Ho, Chau-Sa & Hite, Diane. “Toxic Chemical Releases, Health Effects and Productivity Losses in the United
States.” Journal of Community Health; August, 2009, 539-546.
12

Benefits
◦ 50 full-time jobs
◦ 200 temporary jobs
◦ PRE has agreed to make
$667,000 in infrastructure
improvements
◦ PRE will give a $25,000
annual green education
grant to the Springfield
schools
◦ Generate electricity for
23,000 to 30,000 homes
(approx. 1% of total power
generated in Mass.)

Costs
◦ $170 million to build
◦ $250,000 loan from
Massachusetts Technology
Collaborative
◦ Loss of value to property
near power plant site
Source: “Developers of proposed Springfield
biomass plant tell Public Health Council:
'Nothing less than the best,” Masslive.com,
12/2/2009.
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•
•
•
Complete a comprehensive benefit-cost
analysis for all proposed biomass power
plants.
Develop alternative renewable energy
options to compare with status quo and
current Palmer Renewable Energy biomass
proposal.
Include all stakeholders in decisionmaking and research processes.
14
“My
wife and I became interested in the biomass issue
mainly
for health
reasons.
We are an avid
“We
feel
that [local
residents
withoutdoors
family, so the environmental issues of forest abuse due
illnesses]
will
if the
here.”
“Ifincreased
you took
adie
tree
andplant
if it’sacomes
worthsecond
$100
to
demand
for
wood
was
major
“The
first
time
I saw
the pictures
[of forest
“We
don’t
need
it.
Lots
of
seniors
have
Betty
Agin
issue
for us.
My family focused
on fighting
the
going
to
Canada,
the
owner
gets
destruction] it was the visceral connectionasthma,
of
have
asthma.
We
Springfieldlots
plant
aschildren
the most
dangerous
for
our
health.
community
activist,
coordinator
of
the
absolutely
nothingwith
for the
biomass
chips – it’s
we’re
all
connected
trees.”
Even need
though that
the approval
process was in the final
don’t
plant.”
Springfield
Health
Projects
Beth
an-economic
disaster
tothat
buy
into biomass
stages
at theAdams
state
level,Disparities
we felt
judgment
callsand
-Emma
Johnson
administrator
of
Universal
Francis
Community
Crowe
were
made
at
the
highest
levels
of
our
state agencies
harvesting.”
that wereEliminating
reversible if sufficient
public outcry was
Voices
Disparities
- Mary
Wigmore,
made.”
local independent
forester
- Stuart
Warner
local activist along with Lee Ann Warner
We can’t look to Washington to
solve our problems – we have
to work right here!