No to forest furnace power stations

Please find pasted below an urgent message regarding the inclusion of wood waste in the list of renewable energy sources under the Federal Governments MRET legislation.\

URGENT: opportunity to let Kevin Rudd know that Australians say NO TO FOREST FURNACE POWER STATIONS

Burning wood for electricity generation and biofuels represents the single greatest threat to our precious native forest ecosystems, in the wake of the industry crisis which has seen export woodchipping decline.

This week there is a great opportunity to help rule out this threat.

Forest agencies and companies are trying to secure taxpayer subsidies to establish huge new wood burning power stations across Australia that would consume millions of tonnes of native forest every year.
They are able to do this because the Australian Government’s flawed MRET legislation includes “wood waste” in the list of renewable energy sources alongside real renewables like wind and solar.

This week, the Senate will debate aspects of the MRET legislation and Greens Senator Christine Milne will move an amendment to have “wood waste” removed from the list of eligible fuel sources.

Support her call to have this crucial change made to MRET. Please use the template email below to send a message to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. You can send a message to Mr Rudd by opening this page:
http://www.pm.gov.au/PM_Connect/contact_your_pm_form

You need to send your message before this coming Tuesday, 15th June.

Tasmanian residents can also sign the petition against wood fired power at:
http://210.8.42.131/view/EPetitions_TAS_Assembly/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetNum=17&lIndex=-1

Dear Mr Rudd,

I am shocked to learn that the Australian Government’s MRET legislation includes polluting and environmentally damaging “wood waste” from native forests as an eligible fuel source alongside real renewables like wind and solar.

Forestry companies and State agencies are promoting large scale wood fired power stations that would see millions of tonnes of precious native forest burnt to generate relatively small amounts of energy. In Tasmania, Forestry Tasmania plans to burn old growth forests in the proposed Southwood mill.

In an era of climate change it is absurd for the Australian Government to be subsidising the burning of native forests, our most valuable carbon stores.

Wood fired power stations represent a huge threat to Australian communities and the Environment because:

-They release vast emissions of carbon and greenhouse gases, unlike real renewables. Burning wood releases huge CO2 emissions which are not re-captured by growing forests for decades or even centuries.
Burning wood produces more greenhouse emissions per unit of electricity that burning coal.

– They generate dangerous air pollution, including particulates, that threaten the health of local communities. In the United States, reputable medical societies including the American Lung Association have called for a halt to new wood fired power developments because of their impact on public health.

– They threaten our native forests and biodiversity. By opening up a vast new market for low grade timber, wood fired power stations would entrench the destruction of Australia’s precious native forests. The harvesting of so called “wood waste” would also impose severe impacts on invertebrate biodiversity and forest health.

-They compete with the real renewable energy industries that Australia needs to chart a low-carbon future, such as wind, solar and geothermal.

Please Mr Rudd, immediately act to close this loophole by removing native forest “wood waste” from the list of renewable energy sources under MRET and protecting Australia’s native forests.

Yours Sincerely

Will Mooney Huon Valley Environment Centre