Burning wood
produces a lot of heat, smoke, air pollution, and carbon. One thing
it doesn’t produce is clean energy. But incinerated biomass
electricity forms 40% of Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s renewable
energy portfolio despite growing local opposition. Sixteen local
organizations—environmental, health, political, and social–have
now formed a coalition to protest this type of biomass electricity.
We thought RCEA was beginning to hear us.

So we’re a little
stunned to find out that RCEA now proposes to give Humboldt Sawmill’s
biomass plant in Scotia even more money. The plant won’t produce
more electricity in return. It is just receiving “credit” for the
power it already generates for its own needs. “Renewable Energy
Certificates” sold to RCEA represent this credit.

Please tell RCEA to
NOT buy Renewable Energy Certificates from Humboldt Sawmill
Company. That money should go for real Renewable Energy—solar,
wind, battery storage, and geothermal.

The biomass plant
repeatedly violates the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, plus it emits
more carbon than coal, fanning the flames of climate crisis.
Supporting incinerated biomass electricity means less support for
real solutions. And Humboldt Sawmill will never develop alternative ways
of dealing with its woody waste as long as RCEA keeps supplying it
with dollars.

 

The
decision will be made at the RCEA meeting on Thursday, August 24 at
3:30.

You
can attend in person at Jefferson
Community Center, 1000 B Street, Eureka, CA.

Or
you can attend the meeting by
zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81972368051

Or
you can attend by phone at
(669)
900-6833 or (253) 215-8782.

Or
you can email a comment to [email protected]
by Thursday at noon.

Thank
you for acting on this crucial health and climate issue.