If built, the PRE biomass burner will emit 1,000,000,000 (one billion) pounds per year of CO2, as well as other greenhouse gases.

The idea that carbon produced by "renewable" sources, such as our forested landscape, is somehow O.K. to burn and send into the atmosphere, is based on now-discredited models and calculations from the 1990's.

Unfortunately, alternative energy incentives and credits put in place using that old way of looking at burning "surface carbon", make biomass a lucrative investment for speculators. Coupled with the fact that biomass burning is technically easy, (incinerator technology is nothing new), and perhaps some sense that biomass won't be considered green for long once the public is educated, there is a real push to get biomass projects going fast, regardless of safety or public opinion.

Particulate matter emissions associated with asthma, heart disease, and cancer are projected to be highest three to four miles from the plant, exceeding state warning levels. Schools in the fallout zone would include elementary schools in Greenfield, Montague, and Bernardston, as well as Stoneleigh Burnham, Greenfield High, Greenfield Middle, and others. The project will also emit 164 tons per year of nitrogen oxides, which form ground-level ozone in the summer that is dangerous to children, the elderly, and asthmatics.

Did you know:

• that in both New Hampshire and Maine, wood-chip burning biomass plants later started burning construction debris?
• that the Pioneer wood-burning plant will produce more particulates, volatile organic compounds and carbon per megawatt hour than the Mount Tom coal-burning plant down by 91?

Coal vs. Biomass

Here is a workup of pollution releases of Mount Tom versus the proposed Greenfield biomass plant. The Pioneer biomass numbers are from their Environmental Notification Form.

As you can see, the Greenfield biomass plant would be worse than Mt Tom in terms of emissions per megawatt hour (MWhr) of energy produced for CO2, Particulates (PM) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's)

For NOx and SO2, Mt Tom would be worse, but not by much. If you compared with a natural gas plant, the Greenfield plant would probably be worse on all counts. In any case, Mount Tom is not being replaced by the proposed Greenfield plant, which would, if built, just add to pollution in the valley.

Pounds of pollutants per megawatt hour:

POLLUTANT	MOUNT TOM COAL	PIONEER BIOMASS
CO2	1,800	2,583-3,168
NOx	1.5	0.87
SO2	0.8	0.36
PM 2.5	0.09	0.27
PM 10	0.20	0.27
VOC	0.03	0.14

Pioneer Renewable Energy's plan that states they intend to burn used pallets. Copper-based fungicides are the most common chemicals used to control mold growth on pallets. When burned, copper is a catalyst in dioxin formation. Dioxins are some of the most lethal substances known to science.

The Special Permit, if granted, should include a requirement that any biomass or other type of incinerator must have Continuous Emissions Monitors (CEMs) for dioxins.

If emissions are as clean as Mr. Wolfe claims, requiring that plant operators monitor and disclose their emissions should not be a problem. High dioxin emissions can be generated and released particularly during start-up periods.