Burning wood pellets is…

Burning wood pellets is dirtier than coal at the smokestack. Any attempt to use "green" reasoning as justification to expand the industry is deceitful. Logging whole trees from primary forests to meet the growing demand for wood pellets is a serious issue - and an unacceptable one. One of the key objectives (objective 3) of this action plan includes, “streamline permitting and reduce regulatory burden for all sectors which use forest biomass,” which is concerning because that essentially means there would be fewer environmental checkpoints. The argument to expand the forest-biomass industry, particularly the wood pellet sector, to provide low-carbon jobs in replacement of fossil fuel jobs isn’t valid. Amidst an ever growing climate crisis, we simply can’t afford to keep chopping down forests to make a fuel that emits immense amounts of carbon dioxide. Moreover, it can take centuries for forests to regain the majority of their carbon storage after being logged. We do not have hundred of years to grow back the biomass in trees. Once again, wood pellets are a false climate solution. I strongly disagree with the proposal.