US State & Local Work

When communities are threatened by new or existing biomass power plants, they turn to PFPI for the information they need to fight back.

PFPI responds to requests from communities and advocacy groups from around the country for input on a wide range of issues, including individual facility air permits, rebutting biomass industry claims, greenhouse gas emissions accounting, and state policies related to biomass bailouts and subsidies.  We also engage directly in legal and regulatory proceedings and legislative advocacy. See more about our state campaigns and featured reports below. 

Key resources:
The Bioenergy Boom from the Federal Stimulus: Outcomes and Lessons (2018)
Maine Bioenergy at the Crossroads: Costs of a Failing Industry (2017)
Trees, Trash, and Toxics: How Biomass Energy Has Become the New Coal (2014)
Burning Money: Biomass Gasification and the DOE Loan Guarantee Program (2013)

Enviro Advocates Call Out MA Gov. Baker For Promoting Dirty Fuels As Renewable Energy

If the Baker administration gets their way, more so-called “clean energy” in MA will come from burning garbage and biomass

Air Pollution, All posts, Forests, Massachusetts

EPA rears up, acknowledges co-firing biomass with coal increases GHG emissions

Combustion physics lend support to a minor rebellion against lawmakers who legislated biomass as “carbon neutral”

All posts, Biomass basics, Carbon emissions, US Federal Policy, US Work

Groups Urge Senator Udall to Clean Up His Renewable Energy Bill

Why are pro-climate action legislators still advocating burning trees for energy?

All posts, Biomass basics, Carbon emissions, US Federal Policy, US Work

Springfield Groups Slam ENE for Peddling Polluting Palmer Power to Eastern Mass Munis

The groups urge residents to turn out to rescheduled June 5th hearing on regulatory rollback of MA biomass rules

Air Pollution, All posts, Biomass basics, Carbon emissions, Massachusetts

Baker Administration Plans to Gut MA’s Science-Based Biomass Rules: Attend the Hearings!

The MA Dept. of Energy Resources rollback of protections will allow highly polluting, large-scale wood-burning power plants in Massachusetts. MA residents need to speak up to protect forests and the climate.

Massachusetts

Rebutting MA Forest Alliance Claims About Bioenergy: Our Open Letter to Gov. Baker

MFA’s letter claims wood is “the peoples’ fuel,” but doctors and scientists seem to agree it’s best if those people don’t include children.

Air Pollution, All posts, Biomass basics, Carbon emissions, Massachusetts

Virginia Admits Biomass Isn’t Carbon Neutral, But Treats It As Zero Emissions in Climate Plan

Dominion-Flavored Doublespeak Will Weaken Climate Progress

All posts, Biomass basics, Carbon emissions, Virginia

Massachusetts Groups Urge Gov. Baker to Stop Using Public Funds to Subsidize Wood-Burning Energy

The Baker Administration is doling out large sums to bolster the logging industry at the expense of the climate

Air Pollution, All posts, Biomass basics, Carbon emissions, Massachusetts

Bio-Beware: PFPI, Investors Petition SEC to Crack Down on Biomass Climate Claims

“Low Carbon” Products Likely to Attract Investors; But are Climate Benefits Real?

All posts, Bioenergy finance, Carbon emissions, Slider content, US Work

N.J. Gov. Murphy Calls for Ban on Fracking Activities in Delaware River Basin

Cites Risks of Secret Fracking Chemicals

All posts, Fracking, New Jersey, Oil and Gas, States