Dr Sammons meets with Marty Boeckel

Sep 11th, 2009 in Tour Blog

Bill Sammons (pictured), Duff Badgley and I met with Marty Boeckel, North Dakota Senator Dorgan’s State Director for the Western Division. Marty was very interested in what we all had to say, and was quite open in telling us she really hadn’t heard much about biomass before she met us.

Bill explained that using incineration of biomass to generate electricity and calling it renewable energy makes climate change worse.  He provided the Senator’s office with materials documenting that biomass burning emits fifty percent more CO2 per megawatt than burning coal, but that biomass incinerators are not covered by the ACESA cap and trade bill, and their emissions are not limited by EPA.  The ACESA bill penalizes coal for its CO2 emissions but biomass gets a free ride.  In addition, Bill, a pediatrician, explained that biomass emissions include particulates, NOx an ozone precursor, and that these air pollutants cause asthma, respiratory failure and heart disease.  Yet, under ACESA, Americans are forced to subsidize these incinerators.

Duff and Bill explained the other ways in which ACESA does more harm than good.  The meeting was productive and Climate SOS appreciated the chance to meet with Senator Conrad’s staff.

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