I am equally outraged that Dominion Power and Drax Group continue to burn millions of tons of wood, supplied by Enviva from our southern forests, in power plants. These operations fuel climate change and plunder our irreplaceable native ecosystems.
Mounting scientific evidence shows that burning wood pellets made from trees will increase near-term carbon pollution and accelerate climate change. Enviva now says it will double production of wood pellets in the coming years, which will only hasten this senseless destruction.
I am not buying Enviva's latest claim that its practices are acceptable because they involve cutting down "crooked and knotty" trees that are "waste" which can't be used in sawmills. Our forests are not trash! It is unconscionable for any company to treat them as such.
Our southern forests are home to countless species of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. They provide communities with clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. These forests are already under significant stress from industrial logging for wood and paper production.
I call on Enviva, Dominion Power and Drax to stop turning our forests into fuel. You should immediately change course and lead the way by investing in energy efficiency and generating electricity from clean energy alternatives, like mill and agricultural waste for pellets and true renewables like solar, wind and geothermal energy. The future of our forests, climate and health depends on it. I will be counting on NRDC to monitor your operations and keep me up to date on your practices.
No Forests for Fuel [test] - Take Action!: NRDC's Save BioGems
