The people who’ll live near a proposed biomass plant in Klamath County are starting to speak out. According to the Klamath Falls Herald and News, the neighbors are worried about air pollution from the plant, and noise from delivery trucks.
Biomass is promoted as clean, renewable energy. But it’s not as clean as some would hope. According to the Oregonian, a proposed biomass plant near Eugene will emit more carbon dioxide and particulates than a similar sized coal plant.
Neighbors Worried Over Proposed BPA Power Line
People in the small Clark County town of Hockinson are worried about a proposed high-voltage power line. Some of them are forming a group to see what options they have in keeping the power line away from their neighborhoods. One possible route goes through property owned by the school district. From KPTV Fox12.
Autumn Time And The Fishing Is Easy
Many of the lakes in Central Oregon have been closed for the season, but the fishing is still good in the area’s river. Trout are especially hungry as they put on weight for the winter, and water levels are low enough to make it easier to hook them. From the Bend Bulletin.
FROM WEDNESDAY:
Lack Of Water Hurts Eastern Oregon’s Economy
If groundwater restrictions were lifted, it would mean an economic boom to Eastern Oregon. One study estimates that by giving farms full access to groundwater, it would add $340 million to the local economy and add 2,000 jobs. From the Hermiston Herald.
Looking At Biomass In Tillamook County
Public officials and businesses got together this week to consider a biomass plant for Tillamook County. The meeting was for information only and so far, no real plans have come forward. But one county commissioner says it’s only a matter of time before one is built. From the Tillamook Headlight Herald.
Protecting The Wilderness Of Douglas County
Hudson Spivey with Umpqua Watersheds writes about the need and benefits of wilderness areas in a guest column for the Roseburg News Review. His group is leading a conference on expanding wilderness areas this weekend.
Off Roaders May Get More Access In Southern Oregon
Officials with the Fremont-Winema National Forest are reconsidering how much access they’ll give off road vehicles. The proposed travel management plan calls for letting off roaders use about 6,800 miles of roads and trails. But now they’re thinking of expanding that. From the Klamath Falls Herald and News.
Count the Eugene Water and Electric Board as being in favor of a biomass plant that’s being proposed for the Eugene area.
According to the Register-Guard, the EWEB says it will buy power from the plant when it goes online, and count it as a type of renewable energy. The Seneca Sawmill company wants to build the facility which would use leftover wood waste as a fuel to produce electricity.
But here’s the catch, Seneca needs an air quality permit from the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency. In an earlier story, the paper says the plant is expected to produce 400 tons of pollutants each year. That’s one of the reasons why some of the local environmental groups are opposed to the idea.
Senator Ron Wyden has introduced a bill that makes it easier to harvest biomass from federal forests. According to the Roseburg News-Review, current law doesn’t allow small trees, limbs, brush and other material collected during forest thinning to be used as biomass fuel. The paper says Wyden is trying to encourage forest thinning because he thinks it will create jobs and leave less fuel on the ground for wildfires.
But biomass plants using leftover wood may not be environmentally friendly. There’s a debate over a proposed plant in Eugene. See this story from last week.
