USA, break up with forest biomass

In 2022, Drax and the forest biomass industry were exposed internationally for their green energy facade – logging and burning forests for fuel and calling it clean.

The US is the largest exporter of forest biomass in the world supplying the majority of what Drax is burning in the UK. And in the US southeast, Drax-owned pellet plants emit illegal levels of toxic pollutants into the air of nearby poor, majority-Black communities, which has increased serious health issues of local residents.

This environmental racism is unacceptable. Drax’ public scrutiny just keeps piling up – it’s high time the US government breaks up with forest biomass.

Let’s level up the groundswell of public pressure around this issue and send a direct message to decision makers to convince them that the best way to avoid this worsening scandal is to follow Australia’s lead and reject forest biomass as a renewable energy solution.

Will you take 2 minutes to send an email to key government decision makers to protect communities and say no to forest biomass?

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Chief

Randy

Moore

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service

Chair

Brenda

Mallory

United States Council on Environmental Quality

Administrator

Michael

Regan

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Executive Director

Chris

Wells

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Secretary

Jennifer

Granholm

U.S. Department of Energy

Dear {contact_data~salutation} {contact_data~lastName},

Earlier this week, the US COP28 delegation signed onto a new global pledge to triple investment in renewable energy. These investments are much-needed, and I appreciate and applaud this commitment.

At the same time, I’m worried to see dangerous distractions like utility-scale woody biomass energy included in our national renewable energy strategies. The industrial use of forest biomass has been proven to emit more climate pollution at the smokestack than coal, and is only declared carbon neutral because of flawed carbon accounting mechanisms.

And in the US southeast, giant forest biomass companies are emitting illegal levels of toxic air pollutants into nearby majority-Black communities. This environmental racism is unacceptable.

In the words of Katherine Egland, Co-founder of the Education, Economics, Environmental, Climate and Health Organization (EEECHO) and Chair of NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, “The U.S. is the largest exporter of wood biomass. People in the southeastern United States cannot breathe due to the air pollution. They are being sacrificed, and suffering from sleep deprivation from the noise pollution and respiratory diseases and other environmental health deteriorations in a failed, misguided effort to reach 1.5°C.”

Instead of investing in forest destruction, the US needs to scale up genuine solutions like wind, solar and geothermal energy, improvements to efficiency, and low carbon infrastructure like public transportation. We deserve true investments that create jobs rather than mechanize and take them away, and that respect the land and communities.

As the US makes much-needed investments in a climate-safe future, I’m calling on you to follow Australia’s lead and reject burning forest biomass as a renewable energy solution.

Thank you,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

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