The Biomass Industry Plans to Clearcut 273 Acres of Georgia Forests Per Day
Do you know the story of Adel, Georgia? Do you know about their fight to comment on even more corporate polluters coming to their town? Well, Adel is still fighting for Georgia forests and communities. The GA Environmental Protection Division (EPD) refuses to provide a comment period.
Dogwood and its allies have been fighting this battle in Adel for more than a year now. We’ve had some incredible successes. But it would be a stunning blow if the GA EPD approves the permit for another plant in South Georgia.
Spectrum Energy wants to build a bigger plant near the Renewable Biomass Group facility we’ve fought against. Enviva is the world’s largest exporter of pellets. They recently purchased the wood pellet facility in nearby Waycross. Enviva wants to expand capacity by 500,000 metric tons per year. That’s three massive forest-eating facilities in the same South Georgia area. Georgia forests will become 4,153,000 metric tons of pellets. That’s 99,672 acres each year. That’s more than 200 football fields per day. All destined to burn in Europe where the CO2 emissions are not counted. If we leave it up to big business and politicians, there won’t be a tree left standing in South Georgia.
It’s clear why the Southeastern US has the shameful title: Most Heavily Disturbed Forest Landscape in the World.
Even if this isn’t happening in your town, that doesn’t mean it won’t affect all of us. Are we going to wait until our forests are gone before we take notice?
The science is conclusive: turning forests into pellets to burn for energy is BAD for the planet. Why? Here’s what a pellet plant brings to town:
- Air pollution
- Increased respiratory and cardiovascular illness in both adults and children
- Loss of carbon sequestration
- Loss of flood control
- Loss of biodiversity
- Waterways overloaded with runoff and sedimentation
- Fire and explosion hazards
- Noise pollution
- Decreased property values
That’s the production of the pellets before they’re shipped across the ocean and burned in Europe.
No one wants this dirty industry right down the street.
Greedy corporations target low wealth communities of color for their dirty plants that no one else wants nearby. In Georgia, five of the eight proposed or existing facilities are in environmental justice communities.
All this at a time when the planet needs its forests more than ever.
In 2021, many national outlets questioned biomass like: CNN, The New York Times, The New Yorker, the Daily Mail, Politico, and Huffpost. But they only report the news. It’s our job to act on it.
How do we store carbon, protect biodiversity, and increase resilience to fires, droughts, floods, and disease? We protect and preserve Georgia forests. We push back against an industry responsible for ravaging the world’s forests.
Thanks to those who’ve fought for Adel citizens’ right to a healthy home.
If you haven’t signed our petition, please act now and stand for the Georgia forests that stand for us!
Watch this Georgia Conservation Voters trailer. See the “good trouble” the Concerned Citizens of Cook County (Adel’s warriors for justice) are stirring up.
Visit our Stand4Forests – GA Facebook page to watch the full documentary.
Follow our page to stay in the loop as we square off against Big Bad Biomass.
I want to work to help. My family owned many trees on land in so. Ga., While I was growing up. I realize no one can own the land that provides habitat and protection for wildlife and environment.