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Climate Change, Energy Independence, and Forest Management
By Dave Atkins

Two topics of major significance face our communities, our country and our world.  They comprise a truly “think globally, act locally” situation, which requires our urgent action.  They are 1) Climate Change and 2) Energy Independence.  Forest management has a role to play in each of these issues.

The term Sustainability, simply put, means to live within our means and assure that future generations also have the ability to sustain themselves.  Almost everyone can accept this as a worthwhile goal; the difficulty comes in bringing this into practice in an everyday sense of living.  The past 40 years have been witness to a long war between environmentalists and the forest products industry over harvesting in our forests.  It is time to make peace and move towards sustaining our environment, our economy and our society.  In fact, I submit that sustainable harvesting is in the interests of any environmentalist that is concerned about global climate change, maintenance of old growth, healthy watersheds, and wildlife habitat. 

In Montana, and across the country, we are nearing the end of a very difficult and expensive fire year in terms of homes lost, evacuations, and smoky days – an irritant to some and a downright health risk for others, as well as lost business in the tourism industry. 

We import close to 2/3 of our oil, the amount of natural gas imported from Canada and Mexico keeps growing, and we are looking at importing LNG.  The price of energy is substantial and unlikely to go down.  In fact, it is very likely to go up, as India, China, and many other countries’ growing economies work up an ever larger appetite for energy.  When all the major oil companies begin talking about “peak oil” and just behind that “peak natural gas,” it is clear our hydrocarbon ride is nearing its end.   

What will it take to sustain ourselves in light of climate change and our desire for energy independence?  What different ways of approaching how we live on earth do we need to achieve a sustainable lifestyle?

This is a huge topic.  I will focus on only one slice of these questions: how it relates to forests. I’ll focus on 3 points:

1)            Forests are and have been significant warehouses of CO2 in the USA.  For over 60 years, our forests have helped offset a portion of the fossil fuel CO2 we have been releasing by sequestering carbon in biomass.   Forests function as massive solar collectors changing sunlight, CO2, and water into wood – a truly amazing phenomenon.  In a mechanistic perspective we could describe them as solar cells with batteries, ones we don’t have to mine and manufacture to cause to function as such and that provide many ecosystem services: wildlife habitat, watersheds that provide a clean source of water, wonderful places to recreate, storing Carbon, etc...  However, forests do have a maximum carrying capacity and eventually will start releasing the carbon that has been accumulated. 

2)            Severe forest fires, insect epidemics and severe storms can kill large areas of forest which causes them to release substantial amounts of GHG’s.  Droughts in recent years in various parts of the country, combined with lots of stored energy in the form of dense forests, have resulted in many large fires and insect epidemics.  Recent fire seasons have shown us that thinning forests, treating the slash, and careful use of planned fire can be very effective in changing wildfire behavior for many years (especially when used in combination), but it is not a one time deal.  These ecosystems are dynamic.  The trees keep growing and regenerating – storing more energy and CO2 in the process, thankfully.  The energy will be released at some point – we must manage where, when and how.  We will never stop all fires, nor do we want to, as fire is an important part of many of our forest ecosystems! 

3)            We have opportunities in regard to the stored carbon and energy in our forests.  We can use some of it by harvesting wood before or after a disturbance as a renewable energy source and offset some of our fossil fuel usage and CO2 release, creating local employment in the process.  We can capture some of the CO2 absorbed by the trees in wood products, thus reducing the GHG’s in the atmosphere.  Also, wood requires less energy to manufacture than steel or concrete, so when we substitute wood for these products we again reduce the amount of fossil fuel consumed.  We have the opportunity to convert pulp mills into biorefineries that can still produce paper but also produce cellulosic ethanol and a form of diesel.  All of these uses of sustainably managed forests can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce our trade deficit and create domestic jobs, helping create a more sustainable society. 
               
Forty to fifty years ago, some poor forest management practices such as terracing, poor road construction techniques, the over use of clearcuts, motivated a portion of the environmental movement to form and protest those practices.  The movement has succeeded in prompting the development of new sustainable forest management practices.  It is time to stop fighting over old battles and start working together for the common goal of a sustainable society in which the management and use of forests are an important part of achieving that goal.  Forest management isn’t “the silver bullet,” but it is one of many tools – such as conservation, efficiency gains, energy production from wind, geothermal, solar, ocean waves and more – that can lead us to success in addressing the twin problems of climate change and energy independence, resulting in a more sustainable society.

Dave Atkins is a forester and forest ecologist in Missoula, Montana.

Algae Gaining Momentum as Biofuel Solution

For years, experts have known algae to have great potential as a feedstock for biodiesel.  Between 1978 and 1996, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) studied approximately 300 species of microalgae as part of its Aquatic Species Program and found that microalgae have the highly desirable capability to use carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power plants and produce relatively clean-burning biodiesel.  Some species of algae produce more than 30 times the amount of oil per acre than conventional feedstocks such as soybeans or canola, using just water, sunlight, nutrients and carbon dioxide as inputs; additionally, the carbohydrates in algae can be converted into ethanol and the proteins used for animal feed.  Another important advantage of algae is that it does not have to compete for land or water resources used by the domestic, industrial or agricultural sectors because many species can grow in brackish, or saline, water.

However, NREL also found that at the time of its research the cost of large-scale algae production was prohibitively high.  Now, with high petroleum prices and concerns about energy independence and climate change rising, algae-based biofuel is gaining momentum as a potential solution.

California-based LiveFuels, Inc., with the goal of producing commercially viable algae-based biocrude by 2010, recently announced that John Sheehan, the final project manager of NREL’s Aquatic Species Program, was appointed as its Vice President of Strategy and Sustainable Development.  LiveFuels reports on its website that “theoretically, the U.S. could grow enough algae on 20 million acres to replace imported oil.”

Colorado-based Solix Biofuels has developed a “photobioreactor” that can control sunlight, temperature and carbon dioxide levels for mass algae production.  Solix, in partnership with Colorado State University, plans to reproduce the prototype bioreactor system at five times the scale to use the carbon dioxide byproduct from the New Belgium Brewing Company to grow algae; full scale production is anticipated by the middle of 2008.

Two Arizona-based companies, XL Renewables, Inc. and Diversified Energy Corporation, have partnered to commercialize an algae production method using thin walled polyethylene tubing similar to drip irrigation tubes.  This new system, called Simgae™ (for simple algae), requires 1/2 - 1/16 the capital cost of traditional shallow pond algae production methods.  Ben Cloud, President and COO of XL Renewables, said Simgae™ “is the right technology at the right time to deliver algae biomass for use as a feedstock for biofuel oils, super-antioxidant animal feeds, starches to the ethanol industry, and many other uses.”  The Simgae™ system is currently being demonstrated in Casa Grande, Arizona and will undergo further testing through 2008.

Sources: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/biodiesel_from_algae.pdf (pdf format)
http://diversified-energy.com/auxfiles/pressReleases/SimgaeSystem.pdf (pdf format)
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4213775.html
http://www.livefuels.com/
http://www.ncbr.com/article.asp?id=87705

Kentucky Bill Moves State toward Energy Independence

On August 30, Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher signed House Bill 1 to decrease the state’s dependence on foreign oil through the advancement of energy policy and technology.  Section 2 of the bill, called the Incentives for Energy Independence Act, provides incentives of up to half the capital investment in facilities to produce alternative fuels or generate electricity from renewable resources.  To qualify for the incentives, an alternative fuel or gasification facility using coal must have a capital investment of at least $100 million; one using biomass must have a capital investment of $25 million.  A renewable energy facility’s capital investment must be $1 million.

House Bill 1 also expands the $1 per gallon biodiesel tax credit to include renewable diesel and increases the cap on the total tax credit from $1.5 million to $5 million in 2008 and then $10 million in 2009.  Also, new $1 per gallon tax credits are created for ethanol produced from corn, soybeans, wheat, and cellulosic biomass.

Sources: http://www.eere.energy.gov/states/news_detail.cfm/news_id=11243
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/07S2/HB1.htm

Massachusetts Program to Help Farmers Reduce Energy Costs and Emissions

With $400,000 in funding from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, farmers will have an opportunity to lower their costs while contributing to energy efficiency and renewable energy goals in the state.  The new Massachusetts Farm Energy Program is a two year program that will provide farmers with energy audits and offer incentives for increasing efficiency and installing renewable energy projects.  Christine S. Clarke, Massachusetts State Conservationist for NRCS, said “At a time when farmers are being hit hard with skyrocketing energy bills, this program will help them save thousands of dollars a year through energy efficiency and alternative and renewable energy sources. The project also aims to reduce over 500 metric tons of CO2 emissions.”

Sources: http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49825
http://www.ma.nrcs.usda.gov/news/news_CIG_2007_energy.html

Kansas Bill Redefines “Alternative Fuel”

Alternative fuel has a new definition in Section 14 of Kansas House Bill 2145, the section which authorizes tax credits for purchasers of alternative fuel motor vehicles and alternative fuel fueling stations. The bill reads:  “’Alternative fuel’ means a combustible liquid derived from grain starch, oil seed, animal fat or other biomass; or produced from biogas source, including any nonfossilized, decaying, organic matter.”  Previously, alternative fuel had been defined according to 42 U.S.C. 13211, which also lists natural gas, hydrogen, coal-derived liquid fuels and electricity (including electricity from solar energy) as acceptable options.  House Bill 2145 took effect on July 1, 2007.

Source: http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2145.pdf (pdf format)

North Carolina to Create Home-Grown Biofuels Industry

The recently established non-profit Biofuels Center of North Carolina has been charged with implementing the state’s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership.  The Biofuels Center will work with researchers, growers, production facilities, educators and policymakers to comply with the Strategic Plan’s directive: that biofuels grown and produced within North Carolina will comprise 10% of all liquid fuels sold in the state by 2017.  The plan aims to take advantage of North Carolina’s forest and agriculture resources by calling for cellulosic feedstocks such as wood products, animal waste and high-yield plants and grasses.  W. Steven Burke, Chair of the Biofuels Center’s Board of Directors, said that meeting the Strategic Plan’s goal will “yield a sector of impact statewide, particularly for rural and agricultural communities.  How often does a state have opportunity to create a large new industry with widespread benefit?”

Source: http://www.ncbiotech.org/news_and_events/news_releases/bio_center.html

Wyoming, Michigan and Georgia First States to Commercially Produce Wood-Based Ethanol

In Upton, Wyoming, a small wood-based ethanol plant recently began operations under Western Biomass Energy.  The plant is expected to convert wood waste to 1.5 million gallons of ethanol annually.  Meanwhile, Georgia and Michigan are on track to build the first large-scale cellulosic ethanol plants in the country.  Massachusetts based Mascoma Corporation announced that it will build a $100 million plant near the forests of Michigan to convert timber industry byproducts to ethanol, with production expected to begin by late 2008 or 2009.  In Georgia, Range Fuels, Inc. has received a permit to construct a cellulosic ethanol plant that will produce 20 million gallons of ethanol annually in its first phase beginning in 2008.  The Range Fuels plant will bring close to $500,000 of tax revenue to Treutlen County according to a University of Georgia study, and is expected to create up to 80 full-time jobs with higher than average salaries for the region.

Although still in the early stages of commercial development, one potential advantage of cellulosic ethanol (which includes wood-based ethanol) over corn-based ethanol is that its source is not part of the global food supply.  Additionally, wood-to-ethanol plants can provide a market for underbrush and small-diameter trees that are removed from forests in wildfire fuel reduction treatments.  The process used at the Western Biomass Energy plant is estimated to use less than 20,000 BTU of energy to produce one gallon of ethanol, which contains about 80,000 BTU of energy.

Sources: http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/08/06/news/local/doc46b7ebd8877aa824771625.txt
http://www.eere.energy.gov/states/news_detail.cfm/news_id=11123
http://www.earthportal.org/news/?p=414

Virginia Prepares for Switchgrass-Based Ethanol Market

Experts believe that switchgrass, a tall prairie grass native to North America, may be the primary source of domestic ethanol in the future, and some Virginians are taking note.  Scientists at Virginia Tech estimate that the state could meet one quarter of its gas, diesel and heating oil needs with switchgrass and wood chips.  Switchgrass is an especially appealing feedstock for ethanol because it requires much less water and fertilizer than corn, and its roots can filter out pollutants that would otherwise contaminate waterways in agricultural run-off.

Because the science of fermenting the hardy grass into a solution with the proper alcohol concentration has yet to be perfected, commercial production of switchgrass-based ethanol may still be five years away or more according to George Douglas, a spokesman for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.  However, Virginia farmers who are looking to replace their tobacco with something more economically viable are already planting the new crop in anticipation of the switchgrass-based ethanol market.  If the new industry does take off, it is estimated to have the potential to create more than 10,000 jobs for farmers, truck drivers and refinery workers in the state.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090502327_pf.html
 

Clean Fuels Development Coalition Releases Ethanol Fact Book for 110th Congress

The Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC), which is composed of industry, government and non-profit organizations, released the 5th edition of their Ethanol Fact Book on September 10.  The report explains the history and current status of the ethanol industry, as well as projections about future developments, for policymakers, industry leaders and consumers.  Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), Co-Chair of the CFDC Foundation’s Ethanol Across America education campaign, said, “This year, with the Farm Bill and the Energy Bill, Congress has two major opportunities to drastically expand and enhance our nation’s use of renewable fuels.  Ethanol is a common thread with these important bills ... [We] believe when people understand the wide range of benefits ethanol provides they will continue to support it.”

The Ethanol Fact Book outlines the energy security benefits provided by ethanol by examining the true cost of gasoline, including military and environmental costs, the economic benefits such as job creation and increased tax revenue, and the environmental benefits, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.  Other specific issues addressed include the net energy balance of ethanol and the debate over using corn for fuel instead of food. The pdf version of the 2007 Ethanol Fact Book is available here: http://www.ethanolacrossamerica.net/pdfs/2007EthanolFactBook.pdf.

Source: http://www.ethanolacrossamerica.net/pressreleases/pressrelease18.html

Kroger and Enterprise Partner with VeraSun to Increase Opportunities to Use E85

Ohio-based Kroger Company has partnered with South Dakota-based VeraSun Energy Corporation to open 20 ethanol fueling stations in Ohio and Kentucky.  The stations will sell E85 fuel, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% conventional gasoline, which can be used by Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs).  This marks a 50% increase in national retailer Kroger’s locations that offer E85, with 40 already operating in Texas, Ohio and Kentucky.
 
Subsequently, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and VeraSun announced a partnership to increase the number of FFVs offered by Enterprise near the new E85 fueling stations.  One quarter of Enterprise’s rental fleet in these select locations will be FFVs produced by General Motors; Enterprise will provide its customers with E85 educational material and maps to the new Kroger stations.

According to the Argonne National Laboratory, the use of 4.9 billion gallons of ethanol in the United States last year reduced greenhouse gas emissions by approximately eight million tons.

Sources: http://www.enn.com/energy/article/22498
http://www.verasun.com/Press/details.cfm?ID=103

Safety Testing for E85 Dispensers to Begin This Year

Underwriters Laboratories (UL), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, is accepting requests for certification investigations for gaskets and seals for use with ethanol blended fuels such as E85.  Research performed by UL demonstrated that while some gasket and seal materials are compatible with E85, others deteriorated with long-term exposure.  UL’s Consumer Affairs Manager John Drengenberg stated that “these results confirm the necessity of establishing safety requirements for E85 dispensers that take into account the long-term effects of exposure to ethanol.”  Product testing is anticipated to begin by the end of 2007.

Source: http://www.ul.com/newsroom/newsrel/nr080207.html

Cornfields and Ethanol Plants Compete for Water in Nebraska

The rapidly expanding ethanol industry is causing concern for some corn farmers in Nebraska due to the limited supply of fresh water in the area.  Because rainfall is relatively scarce in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, Nebraska’s agriculture industry depends on water pumped from the underground Ogallala Aquifer which spans a huge area beneath eight plains states.  The level of water in the aquifer—or water table—has been declining for years, and now ethanol plants are adding to the strain by requiring around three gallons of water for every gallon of ethanol produced.

In one district in southern Nebraska, farmers have been prohibited from drilling new wells or adding new acres of irrigated cropland and faced an allocation system which reduced their water usage by an average of 38%.  They are concerned that additional restrictions on water use would drive property values and tax revenues down.  “It’d be devastating to the economy around here,” said Nelson Trambly, Chairman of the Board for the Lower Republican Natural Resources District.

Meanwhile, many in the community still welcome the ethanol industry and the financial benefits it brings.  Mercury Ethanol, a subsidiary of Olympus Energy Group, plans to open a 55 million gallon plant in early 2009.  It will pay approximately $1 million in taxes to the county annually, provide 35-40 full time jobs and use 166 million gallons of water per year.  “I know we’ll get enough water for our one plant,” said Justin Kent, president of Olympus Energy.  “But if farmers don’t get enough water that’s a big problem.”

In response to this story, Jacques Beaudry-Losique, Director of the Department of Energy’s Biomass Program, wrote, “It’s not a question of choosing between ethanol and water conservation.  We can and must do both.”  He added that 87% of corn crops grown for ethanol are not irrigated, and that the cellulosic feedstocks being developed will require as little as half the amount of water necessary for corn.

Sources: http://www.olympusenergy.com/projects.php
Barrett, Joe.  “How Ethanol Is Making the Farm Belt Thirsty.”  The Wall Street Journal 5 September 2007: B1.
Beaudry-Losique, Jacques.  Letter.  The Wall Street Journal 17 September 2007: A15.

Outside Investors Encounter Barriers in Brazilian Ethanol Market

Multinational companies are looking to Brazil’s ethanol market, which relies on sugarcane instead of corn as its renewable feedstock, for their next big investment.  Brazil committed itself to using sugarcane-based ethanol in the 1970’s in an attempt to reduce the country’s dependence on oil from the Middle East; today, the fuel is much more efficient to make than U.S. corn-based ethanol, which relies on a 51-cent per gallon tax credit to remain competitive with gasoline.  Brazil could potentially meet a large portion of the world’s demand for renewable fuels, with the help of billions of dollars to expand its production and transportation infrastructure.

Interested foreign investors, however, are finding many barriers in the industry.  Brazilian sugar mills are often family-owned, informally managed and disorganized, and labor and environmental conditions can be potential liabilities for foreign investors.  Some mill owners are reluctant to sell the family business to outsiders, and those who are willing can still encounter political pressure not to do so.

Even without foreign investment, Brazil’s traditional sugar and ethanol production companies plan to expand substantially in the next five years; annual ethanol output is expected to reach 9.5 billion gallons in that time.

Source: Regalado, Antonio and Fan, Grace.  “Ethanol Giants Struggle to Crack Brazil Market.”  The Wall Street Journal 10 September 2007: A1.

Hawaiian Utilities Transition to Biodiesel, Require Sustainably Grown Feedstock

August 21, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and the Natural Resources Defense Council announced a policy that will ensure HECO and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric Company and Hawaii Electric Light Company, use only sustainable feedstocks in their production of biodiesel.  HECO will give preference to locally grown feedstocks when available; otherwise, it will purchase imported palm oil that fully adheres to the standards set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).  Among the RSPO provisions are that soil fertility be maintained, endangered species near the plantation or mill be conserved, local peoples not be displaced and child labor not be used.

HECO is also building a 110-megawatt biofuel power plant in Campbell Industrial Park that could run on biodiesel or ethanol.  The plant is anticipated to be operational by 2009 and will be used during peak hours only, to supplement existing power plants.  Collectively, the Hawaiian Electric companies will be the largest user of biodiesel in the nation.

Sources: http://www.nrdc.org/media/2007/070821.asp
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Aug/22/ln/hawaii708220386.html
http://www.rspo.org/resource_centre/ (pdf format)

Nation’s Largest Biodiesel Production Facility Opens in Washington State

On August 15, Imperial Renewables opened the largest biodiesel production plant in the nation in Grays Harbor, Washington.  The facility will produce 100 million gallons of biodiesel annually from soybean oil, Washington-grown canola oil and other feedstocks.  “This facility has the scale and the systems to produce fuel comparable to petroleum diesel that meets ASTM [American Society for Testing and Materials] standards,” said Imperial Renewables Founder and President John Plaza.  “The difference is that our fuel has far less impact on our environment than fossil fuels and is made from renewable resources.”

Biodiesel can be used pure or blended with petroleum diesel to create fuels such as B20 (20% biodiesel).  The National Biodiesel Board reports that domestic biodiesel production has increased from 25 million gallons in 2004 to a projected 300 million gallons in 2007, and that the industry is expected to add nearly 40,000 jobs and $24 billion to the U.S. economy over the next eight years.

Sources: http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=imperium16&date=20070816
http://nbb.grassroots.com/07Releases/Imperium/
http://www.imperiumrenewables.com/press-ighgo.pdf (pdf format)

Heavy Duty Trucks Going Green

At the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas, the EPA recognized the 48 companies participating in the SmartWay Grow & Go program, an expansion of the SmartWay Transport Partnership focusing on renewable fuels and energy independence.  The goal of the new program is for one quarter of the 600 SmartWay Transport partners to begin using renewable fuels by 2012, one half by 2020.  “Trucking companies of all sizes and types are joining EPA in our drive toward a cleaner environment and more secure energy supply,” said Bob Meyers, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.

Two of the SmartWay partners who have made recent innovations in pursuit of these goals are the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and the Volvo Group.  The NBB, in conjunction with ProMiles, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Oil Price Information Service, has produced mapping software that includes truck-accessible biodiesel fueling stations, along with type of blend offered (such as B20 or B10) and hours of operation at each station.  According to the NBB, there are nearly 600 truck-accessible locations with biodiesel pumps in the country.  The ProMiles XF software will be continuously updated and is available to truckers now.

The Volvo Group unveiled seven trucks that run on renewable fuels including biodiesel, biogas, a mix of biodiesel and biogas, DME (Dimethyl ether), ethanol/methanol, synthetic diesel and a mix of hydrogen gas and biogas.  CEO Leif Johansson acknowledged, “As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of heavy trucks, diesel engines and buses, the Volvo Group is part of the climate problem.”  But, he said, Volvo is very concerned about environmental issues and “based on our resources and knowledge, we both can and will be part of the solution.”

Six new fuel efficient SmartWay-certified tractor-trailers also went on display at the show in Dallas.  The heavy duty trucks improve fuel efficiency by up to 20% through features such as advanced aerodynamics, idle-reduction options and low-rolling resistance tires.  According to the EPA, SmartWay partners have reduced their consumption of diesel fuel by more than 350 million gallons, eliminating almost 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Sources: http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=11245
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/e87e8bc7fd0c11f1852572a000650c05/0b79f1eb273e5341852573410056657e%21OpenDocument
http://www.promiles.com/Company/Press_releases/NBB_BioDieselLocator_08-24-2007.asp
http://www.volvo.com/group/global/en-gb/newsmedia/pressreleases/2007/NewsItemPage.htm?channelId=2184&ItemID=27919&sl=en-gb

Sacramento County Considers Ban on Wood-Burning on Bad-Air Days

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District board is considering a ban prohibiting the use of pellet and wood stoves on the approximately 30 bad-air days that occur annually between November and December. The ban would be part of an effort to comply with tightened federal regulations regarding emissions of fine particulate matter. Particulates are emitted as a result of incomplete combustion and have negative repercussions on human health, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, and heart and lung problems.

The board declined to vote on the measure, deciding instead to explore the possibility of offering a partial or total exemption for cleaning-burning stoves and furnaces. High-efficiency EPA-certified wood stoves produce emissions as low as 6 grams of particulates per hour, compared to the approximately 42 grams per hour emitted by wood stoves produced in the ‘70s and ‘80s. EPA regulations set maximum emissions at 7.5 grams per hour. Wood pellet stoves boast 75-90% combustion efficiency, resulting in emissions as low as 1 gram per hour – the lowest emissions of any solid-fuel burning product currently available. The board is scheduled to reconsider the motion on October 25.

For more information on high efficiency wood burning see www.woodstovechangeout.org.

Sources: http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/364993.html
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/09/28/2973803.htm
http://www.hometips.com/cs-protected/guides/pellet_stoves/pelletstove_advantages.html
http://www.hpba.org/fileadmin/factsheets/FS_PelletStoves1.pdf (pdf format)

Writers: Jetta L. Wong, Jesse Caputo, and Laura Parsons
Editor: Carol Werner

Please distribute BCO to your colleagues or send us their e-mail addresses and we will add them to our distribution list.  Article and commentary submissions are encouraged and should be sent via email.

Environmental and Energy Study Institute
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jwong@eesi.org

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We welcome your suggestions, comments and questions.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is a non-profit organization that works at the nexus of policy and innovation to promote environmentally sustainable societies.  EESI was founded in 1984 by a bipartisan group of Congressional Members dedicated to finding environmental and energy solutions.  EESI provides credible, timely information and innovative policy ideas through coalition building, media outreach, publications, briefings, workshops and task forces on the issues of energy efficiency and renewable energy, transportation, smart growth, agriculture and global climate change.  Carol Werner leads the EESI team as executive director.