On Thursday, July 7th, we need to flood the State House with calls to remove subsidies for burning woody biomass from all of Massachusetts’ renewable energy programs. Please save the date and spread the word!

Governor Baker is ending his term by finalizing rules that will force ratepayers to subsidize polluting wood-burning power plants across the Northeast. This parting gift to the biomass industry will direct millions of dollars to power plants that are more polluting than coal, instead of to clean renewables like offshore wind and solar.

Our best chance now to prevent ratepayers’ clean energy dollars from going up in smoke is in the climate and energy bill that is currently being negotiated by a House-Senate conference committee.

We are urging the conference committee to make a “clean sweep” and end all renewable energy subsidies for burning wood. Specifically, we want them to:

1. Keep sections 22-30 of S.2842 in the final climate and energy bill. These provisions take woody biomass out of Massachusetts’ two main renewable energy programs, the Renewable Portfolio Standard and the Alternative Portfolio Standard
2. In addition, remove woody biomass from the new Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standard for municipal light plants

On Thursday, July 7th PLEASE MAKE THESE CALLS:

House TUE Chair Jeff Roy:               (617) 722-2030

Senate TUE Chair Mike Barrett:         (617) 722-1572

House Speaker Ron Mariano:            (617) 722-2500

Senate President Karen Spilka:         (617) 722-1500

Call Script:

My name is ________ and I am calling about the climate and energy bill (S.2842). I urge you to remove subsidies for burning woody biomass from all of Massachusetts’ renewable energy programs. We need to focus on clean renewable energy like offshore wind and solar, not burning trees. Only the legislature can prevent ratepayers’ clean energy dollars from going up in smoke!

You can also call your own legislators with this message:

My name is _________ and I live in your district. Please urge members of the climate and energy conference committee to remove subsidies for burning woody biomass from all of Massachusetts’ renewable energy programs. We need to focus on clean renewable energy like offshore wind and solar, not burning trees. Only the legislature can prevent ratepayers’ clean energy dollars from going up in smoke!

For more information and to take additional action go to https://www.notoxicbiomass.org/