Karen Noll reported on WACE’s facebook page that
the VSU Faculty Senate passed a resolution Thursday 19 May 2011 that
biomass will not be considered renewable for VSU’s climate commitment goal.

Why?

Because
leading medical associations have identified woody biomass
incineration as increasing risks of
“a variety of illnesses, some life-threatening”,
because biomass incineration
produces more CO2, NOX, and fine particulates than existing coal plants,
and because it
“may lead to
unsustainable forestry practices and a net increase in global greenhouse
gas emissions”.

Who proposed this?

The Environmental Issues Committee (EIC) wants to present a resolution to
the Faculty Senate for their consideration regarding Sustainable Energy
Resources (Dr. Jason Allard, Chair). See Attachment C.

Here is the current

membership of the EIC.
(At least I think it’s current: the terms seem to run through 2010
at the latest,
and this is 2011.)
Some of the names seem familiar, such as long-time
environmental activist Brad Bergstrom
and SAVE student EIC member Natasha Fast.
Interestingly, former VLCIA biomass expert

Tom Manning used to be an EIC member but apparently no longer is.

Here is the full text of the EIC resolution from the

Faculty Senate Agenda May 19, 2011:

Attachment C: EIC Resolution

A Resolution Defining “Renewable” Electricity Sources
for Potential Adoption as a Tangible Action to Reduce Valdosta State
University’s Carbon Footprint Under its 2009 Climate Commitment

WHEREAS, Valdosta State University became a signatory to the American
College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in
May 2009, after a supportive resolution passed the VSU Faculty Senate
unanimously; and,

WHEREAS, one of seven “tangible actions” that ACUPCC signatories
may undertake in their long-term plan to achieve carbon neutrality is
“purchasing or producing at least 15% of our institution’s electricity
consumption from renewable sources”; and,

WHEREAS, biomass combustion/incineration to produce electricity
has until recently been regarded as, and may be defined under state and
federal tax codes as a renewable source of electricity; and,

WHEREAS, the incineration of woody biomass and other organic debris
to produce electricity has been identified recently by the American Lung
Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer
Society as a significant source of air pollutants including but not
limited to nitrogen oxides and fine particulates, causing increased
risks of a variety of illnesses, some life-threatening; and,

WHEREAS, biomass incineration for base-load electricity generation
produces more nitrogen oxides and fine particulates per unit of power
than existing coal-burning power plants, meaning it is not clean
energy; and,

WHEREAS, recent studies indicate that biomass incineration for
base-load electricity generation produces more carbon dioxide per
unit of power than existing coal-burning power plants and may lead to
unsustainable forestry practices and a net increase in global greenhouse
gas emissions, meaning it is not green energy;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Valdosta State University
Faculty Senate, meeting at its _____________ 2011 meeting, urges
that, if and when VSU decides to adopt as a ACUPCC tangible action a
renewable energy portfolio for its electricity use, that it not include
biomass combustion as part of that renewable portfolio, due to the above
stated detrimental environmental and health effects, and instead urges
investments in improved energy efficiency and truly green energy sources
such as solar and geothermal, and other non-combustion, non-polluting
methods as may be available.

This resolution does not necessarily represent the views of the
administrators, faculty, or staff of Valdosta State University or the
Georgia Board of Regents.

References

American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). (2007-2011).

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/about/commitment

Brook et al. (2004). Air pollution & cardiovascular disease. American Heart Association.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/109/21/2655

Luyssaert et al. (2008). Old-growth forests as global carbon sinks. Nature 455:213-215.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v455/n7210/abs/nature07276.html

Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (2010). Biomass sustainability and carbon policy study.

http://manomet.org

Searchinger et al. (2009). Fixing a critical climate accounting error. Science 326:527-528.

http://www.openmarket.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/searchinger-science-oct-09.pdf

US EPA “Tailoring Rule,” 40 CFR.

http://www.epa.gov/nsr/documents/20100413final.pdf

VSU Faculty Senate meeting minutes for May 21, 2009:

http://www.valdosta.edu/facsen/meeting/minutes/documents/Senate_Minutes_2009-05-21.pdf