Note: please note that this profile of a policy option or program model should (a) link back to the issue overview on this topic, (b) be focused either the local, state, national, or global level, and (c) be neutrally presented, based on facts, and include footnotes for each of the items.  See the Research Guide and Information Sources to assist you.

This policy option or model program profile relates to the following issue overview(s):

• Biomass

Summary    one paragraph description 

Palmer Renewable Energy has proposed to build a 38 Megawatt biomass power plant at 1000 Page Boulevard in the East Springfield neighborhood, just north of Palmer Paving Company. The project is one of several from Caletta Renewable Energy, a partnership of Palmer Paving Corporation and Barletta Engineering of Canton, MA. If it receives final regulatory approval, the $150 million dollar project would start operations in 2011.   

Cost    total policy or program cost; also include per person cost if available 

• The $150 million plant is privately funded by Caletta Renewable Energy^[1]
• The project received a $250,000 development loan from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative^[2]
• Wood-burning power plants are also eligible for renewable energy credits, currently trading around $50 per Megawatt-hour^[3]

Implementation    describe how the policy or program is implemented (esp. who, how) 

• Biomass plants work by burning organic material to heat water, with the resulting steam fed through a turbine to produce electricity.^[4]

• Exhaust from process would be filtered and cleansed before being expelled from a 275 foot stack.^[5]

• The facility would use approximately 900 tons of fuel per day, of which 700 tons would be positively picked construction and demolition debris and 200 tons would be green wood chips.^[6]

• The construction debris would be pre-processed offsite and delivered to the plant.^[7]

• The total amount used annually by the plant would account for nearly two thirds of the construction debris produced in the state of Massachusetts each year.^[8]

• This would be the only power plant in the state allowed to burn construction and demolition debris.^[9]

• Fuel delivery will require 126 daily trips by 20-ton trucks, with deliveries occurring between 6 AM and 7 PM, Monday through Saturday. Trucks would access the site from I-90 and 291 via Route 20 (Page Blvd).^[10]

Evaluation    summarize any evaluation findings that policy or program effectiveness

• Energy production
  • Would have 38 megawatt capacity^[11]
  • Equivalent to 0.28% of statewide generation capacity^[12]
• Community economic impact
  • Would create 50 full-time jobs^[13], for which hiring preference would be given to Springfield residents^[14]
  • Would generate an estimated $1 million in tax revenue for the city^[15], although the final amount has yet to be negotiated
  • Palmer has agreed to pay for $667,000 in infrastructure improvements^[16]
    • $600,000 for road paving, decorative streetlights, and planting of trees along streets
    • $25,000 for demolition of old firehouse
    • $42,000 for new banners and signage
  • Other financial commitments^[17]
    • $25,000 annual grant to Springfield schools for green education
    • Assistance with city's waste wood management
    • Reservation of a portion of generated electricity for purchase by the city
• Carbon impact
  • Would produce 470,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually^[18], equivalent to 1.86% of total amount produced by power plants in the state^[19]
  • Biomass produces 1.5 times as much CO2 per megawatt as coal and 3-4 times as much as natural gas^[20]
  • Total carbon impact of biomass depends on how land cleared for fuel is reused
    • If cleared land is immediately replanted with fast-growing trees, those trees will absorb much of the amount of carbon emitted by the plant. If those trees are later used for fuel, the carbon will thereby be "recycled".^[21]
    • Since the Springfield plant mostly depends on construction and demolition debris, which cannot be replanted to reabsorb carbon the way trees can, it would not much benefit from this effect
• Air quality
  • Carbon Monoxide
    • Would emit 167 tons annually^[22]
    • Equivalent to 0.29% of amount emitted in Hampden County^[23]
  • Nitrogen oxides
    • Contributes to acid rain and ozone formation^[24]
    • Would emit 134 tons annually^[25]
    • Equivalent to 1.13% of amount emitted in Hampden County^[26]
  • Particulate Matter
    • 27 tons annually^[27]
    • 6.94% of amount emitted in Hampden County^[28]
    • Hampden County given a 'C' in particulate pollution by the American Lung Association^[29]
  • Hazardous Air Pollutants
    • 23.8 tons annually^[30]
      • The Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance has argued that more realistic modeling assumptions would give a projected total of 27 tons annually, which would subject the plant to stricter regulations under the Clean Air Act^[31]
    • 3.17% of total amount emitted in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties^[32]
    • All 3 counties given an 'F' in ozone pollution by the American Lung Association^[33]
  • Lead, Mercury, Arsenic

    • All were within EPA standards^[34]

       

    • Lead and arsenic levels did each approach the maximum allowed in a 24-hour period on at least one occasion^[35]

• Forest impact

  • At 200 tons of green wood per day, would require 73,000 tons of wood per year
    • Equivalent to 3600 acres per year at current harvest rate of 20 tons per acre^[36]
    • Equivalent to 1600 acres per year at 'maximum sustainable' harvest rate of 45 tons per acre^[37]
  • Demand could be higher if availability of construction debris declines due to a fall in construction activity or increased demand drives up its price
  • Some environmental groups fear increased demand could lead to clear-cutting of forests, which has a larger impact on the forest environment than othe rtypes of logging^[38]

Status    indicate whether this policy or program has been adopted in more locations or remains a proposal 

•  The Springfield city council voted 7 to 2 to approve the special permit application in September of 2008.^[39]

•  The State Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs granted a MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act) certificate, waiving the requirement for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).^[40]

• The proposal still needs to undergo an air quality hearing and a beneficial use determination hearing. The latter is necessary to reclassify construction and demolition debris as a biomass fuelstock for the Palmer plant, rather than municipal solid waste. There is currently a moratorium on new municipal solid waste incinerators in the state^[41].  

Point of View    quotations from those in support or opposition to this policy or program 

• The Republican endorsed the proposed plant in Russell, which would burn green wood rather than construction and demolition debris^[42]

• G. Michael Dobbs of The Reminder has opposed the Springfield proposal^[43]

• A number of community groups have also come out against the proposal, holding a community forum in June to present their arguments. Speakers were from such community groups as the Western Massachusetts Green Consortium, Massachusetts Forest Watch, and Concerned Citizens of Russell^[44].

   

Contact     contact information for sponsor of this policy or program 

• http://www.calettarenewable.com/contact.html

Bibliography    link to any additional readings or websites related to this policy or program 

• Clean Air Act Emissions Inventories. Department of Environmental Protection. <http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/priorities/aqdata.htm#ca>

• "Common sense rears its head in Russell”. The Republican. 8 June 2009. <http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/06/common_sense_rears_its_head_in.html>

• Janet Cushman, Gregg Marland, and Bernhard Schlamadinger. “Biomass Fuels, Energy, Carbon, and Global Climate Change”. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. <http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev28_2/text/bio.htm>

• Data for proposed biomass plants. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. <http://www.massenvironmentalenergy.org/plantdata.html>

• Dobbs, G. Michael. “Plant would burn construction waste”. The Reminder.  <http://www.thereminder.com/localnews/springfield/plantwouldburncons/>

• Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available from sasea.org.

• “Historical Emissions Data”. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. <http://www.rggi.org/states/historical_emission>

• “Host Community Benefit”. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from City Clerk’s office at Springfield City Hall. 

• “Major Comprehensive Air Plan Approval Application”. Submitted to Department of Environmental Protection by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org

• Massachusetts Air Quality summary. American Lung Association. <http://www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/massachusetts/>

• Massachusetts energy profile. Energy Information Administration. <http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=MA>

• Moyer, Ellen. “Should Construction & Demolition Wood be Burned?”. PowerPoint slides. June 16, 2009. Available from sasea.org.

• NESCAUM. “Emissions from Burning Wood Fuels Derived from Construction and Demolition Debris”. May 2006. <http://www.nescaum.org/documents/2006-0710-emiss_from_burning_wood_fuels_derived_from_c-d_report.pdf/>

• Palmer Paving Renewable, LLC financing <http://www.masstech.org/project_detail.cfm?ProjSeq=666>

• Plaisance, Mike. “Biomass plant for Springfield gets permit”. The Springfield Republican. 23 SEP 2008. <http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/biomass_plant_for_springfield.html>

• Serreze, Mary. "Biomass or Biomess?". The Valley Advocate. 30 June 2009. http://www.valleyadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=9967.

• Special Permit application. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org.

Footnotes

1. http://www.calettarenewable.com/companies.html ▲
2. Palmer Paving Renewable, LLC financing http://www.masstech.org/project_detail.cfm?ProjSeq=666 ▲
3. NESCAUM. “Emissions from Burning Wood Fuels Derived from Construction and Demolition Debris”. May 2006. http://www.nescaum.org/documents/2006-0710-emiss_from_burning_wood_fuels_derived_from_c-d_report.pdf/ ▲
4. Special Permit application. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org. ▲
5. Special Permit application. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org. ▲
6. Special Permit application. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org. ▲
7. Special Permit application. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org. ▲
8. NESCAUM. “Emissions from Burning Wood Fuels Derived from Construction and Demolition Debris”. May 2006. http://www.nescaum.org/documents/2006-0710-emiss_from_burning_wood_fuels_derived_from_c-d_report.pdf/ ▲
9. Dobbs, G. Michael. “Plant would burn construction waste”. The Reminder. http://www.thereminder.com/localnews/springfield/plantwouldburncons/ ▲
10. Special Permit application. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org. ▲
11. Special Permit application. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org. ▲
12. Massachusetts energy profile. Energy Information Administration. http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=MA ▲
13. Plaisance, Mike. “Biomass plant for Springfield gets permit”. The Springfield Republican. 23 SEP 2008. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/biomass_plant_for_springfield.html ▲
14. “Host Community Benefit”. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from City Clerk’s office at City Hall. ▲
15. Plaisance, Mike. “Biomass plant for Springfield gets permit”. The Springfield Republican. 23 SEP 2008. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/biomass_plant_for_springfield.html ▲
16. “Host Community Benefit”. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from City Clerk’s office at City Hall. ▲
17. “Host Community Benefit”. Submitted to city by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from City Clerk’s office at City Hall. ▲
18. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org ▲
19. “Historical Emissions Data”. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. http://www.rggi.org/states/historical_emissions. ▲
20. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org. ▲
21. Janet Cushman, Gregg Marland, and Bernhard Schlamadinger. “Biomass Fuels, Energy, Carbon, and Global Climate Change”. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev28_2/text/bio.htm. ▲
22. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org. ▲
23. Clean Air Act Emissions Inventories. Department of Environmental Protection. http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/priorities/aqdata.htm#caa ▲
24. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org ▲
25. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org. ▲
26. Clean Air Act Emissions Inventories. Department of Environmental Protection. http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/priorities/aqdata.htm#caa ▲
27. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org. ▲
28. Clean Air Act Emissions Inventories. Department of Environmental Protection. http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/priorities/aqdata.htm#caa ▲
29. Massachusetts Air Quality summary. American Lung Association. http://www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/massachusetts/ ▲
30. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org. ▲
31. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org. ▲
32. Clean Air Act Emissions Inventories. Department of Environmental Protection. http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/priorities/aqdata.htm#caa ▲
33. Massachusetts Air Quality summary. American Lung Association. http://www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/massachusetts/ ▲
34. “Major Comprehensive Air Plan Approval Application”. Submitted to Department of Environmental Protection by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org ▲
35. “Major Comprehensive Air Plan Approval Application”. Submitted to Department of Environmental Protection by Palmer Renewable Energy, LLC. Available from sasea.org ▲
36. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org ▲
37. Executive Summary, Biomass Briefing, 2009. Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance. Available form sasea.org ▲
38. See maforests.org ▲
39. Plaisance, Mike. “Biomass plant for Springfield gets permit”. The Springfield Republican. 23 SEP 2008. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/biomass_plant_for_springfield.html ▲
40. Dobbs, G. Michael. “Plant would burn construction waste”. The Reminder. http://www.thereminder.com/localnews/springfield/plantwouldburncons/ ▲
41. http://www.sierraclubmass.org/issues/legislative/incineration.htm ▲
42. “Common sense rears its head in Russell”. The Republican. 8 June 2009. http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/06/common_sense_rears_its_head_in.html ▲
43. Dobbs, G. Michael. “Plant would burn construction waste”. The Reminder. http://www.thereminder.com/localnews/springfield/plantwouldburncons/ ▲
44. Serreze, Mary. "Biomass or Biomess?". The Valley Advocate. 30 June 2009. http://www.valleyadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=9967. ▲