MMS Testimony In Support of House No. 4458, "An Act to Limit Carbon
Dioxide Emissions from Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources"
Before the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and
Energy
February 25, 2010
The Massachusetts Medical Society believes that biomass combustion
electricity generation plants pose an unacceptable public health risk,
and urges the adoption of state policies that minimize the approval and
construction of new biomass plants, remove government incentives for
biomass combustion electricity generation plants, support renewable
energy technologies with zero-pollutant emissions, and promote energy
efficiency and conservation.
Biomass combustion plants emit carbon dioxide, which contributes to
climate change and global warming. Climate change has global
environmental and human health effects. For example, the increase in
temperature related to global warming creates an environment for
vector-borne diseases, such as malaria carried by mosquitoes, to
distribute to more northern climates, including the northeastern United
States.
However, biomass combustion creates other emissions in addition to
CO2 which would have more immediate health effects to the residents of
Massachusetts. The burning of biomass releases small particles into the
air creating particulate air pollution. Epidemiological studies have
demonstrated an association between elevated particulate air pollution
levels and adverse health effects and death. Particulate air pollution
is associated with increased cardiopulmonary symptoms, asthma attacks,
days lost from work due to respiratory disease, emergency room visits,
hospitalization rates, and mortality.
Biomass combustion also releases nitrogen oxides, which help create
ozone, a highly reactive oxidant gas. Ozone reacts in the pulmonary
airways causing symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, cough,
wheeze, increased susceptibility to infection, declines in lung
function, increases in asthma attacks, increases in asthma medication
use, increased rates of emergency room visits for respiratory
disease.
The diesel vehicles which would harvest and transport the biomass for
the plants, would create additional emissions, including carbon
dioxides, nitrogen oxides, and diesel particulate matter, which is
especially toxic.
The Massachusetts Medical Society supports House No. 4458 in that
passage will minimize the construction of biomass combustion power
plants in Massachusetts, and thereby protect the health of the citizens
of the Commonwealth.
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