Burning sawmill waste isn't a climate solution
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Forty percent of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority's (RCEA) renewable energy comes from a biomass plant emitting over 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent a year. California's Renewable Portfolio Standard was established to cut carbon emissions. Using biomass to meet the standard diverts millions of our dollars from real climate solutions.
RCEA'S RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO 
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The Humboldt Sawmill Biomass Plant
burns only sawmill waste. That doesn't prevent wildfires.
Burning wood to make electricity fans the flames of climate change
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The Scotia plant emits twice as much greenhouse gas per kilowatt hour as a coal powered plant, and as much per year as 70% of the county's passenger vehicles.
It takes 20-40 years for new tree growth to remove this carbon from the atmosphere. While we wait, it warms the planet. We are currently on track to exceed 1.5C and reach 5 planetary tipping points in the next decade. |
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and pollutes the air
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The biomass plant is a federally designated Major Source that emits 1,600 tons of pollution each year. Its particulate emissions alone are estimated to cause $12-28 million in health damage each year and 7 additional emergency room visits per month for asthma from residents of Scotia and Rio Dell.
Now the biomass plant has asked the air district to approve changes that would allow it to emit FIVE TIMES MORE POLLUTION. |
Habitual lawbreaker
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Plant operators lied about their environmental performance to get the RCEA contract. Over the past decade, the plant has committed over 1000 violations of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, including several hundred while under contract with RCEA. It is currently operating illegally without a Title V permit.
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