Photo : Wood smoke from a state of the art wood pellet boiler, at the John Olver Transportation Center, Greenfield,MA

Mohawk Trail Woodlands sustainable forestry and energy project announced

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ma/newsroom/releases/?cid=STELPRDB1268025

 “We’re in a valley; we have air inversions. Schools have a highly susceptible population,” Ayers said, mentioning conditions such as asthma. “Students would be exposed (to particulates) five days a week.”

Ayers’ remarks came after ecologist Mary Stuart Booth, director of Partnership for Policy Integrity, questioned the so-called “carbon neutrality” of pellet stoves, given the high-energy required to manufacture and transport wood pellets. Booth said there are no standards for how the pellets are made, and that the high demand for wood-pellet stoves and boilers is resulting in clear-cutting of forests to meet the demand. Also, she said, heavy metals and toxins from demolition wood have been found in some analysis of pellet emissions.

http://www.recorder.com/home/20887216-95/editorial-boiler-switch-puts-heat-on-mohawk#.VrYPl9h_2vg.emailhttp://www.recorder.com/home/20887216-95/editorial-boiler-switch-puts-heat-on-mohawk#.VrYPl9h_2vg.email

 Decision With Heath Costs

Letter to the Greenfield Recorder - March 1 , 2016

"My fear is that the opportunity for the Mohawk School District, with its declining student enrollment and half-empty schools, to focus on saving money by participating in these programs is clouding the vision of local officials."

http://www.recorder.com/home/20991200-95/letter-decision-with-health-costs

Are West County's Ears Burning-State Study Looks at Wood Availabilty

Greenfield Recorder March 28, 2016

http://www.recorder.com/News/Local/Are-west-county-s-ears-burning-State-study-looks-at-wood-availability-in-west-county-for-potential-wood-pellet-plant-1201365<<

THE FOREST INDUSTRY WEIGHS IN

Demonizing Pellet Fuel

Letter to the Greenfield Recorder - February 8, 2016

http://www.recorder.com/home/20955505-95/letter-demonizing-pellet-fuel

Wood Pellet Boiler Makes Sense

Letter to the Greenfield Recorder - February 7, 2016

http://www.recorder.com/home/20909055-95/letter-wood-pellet-boiler-makes-sense