Assertions that the proposed Mohawk Trail Regional School’s use of wood pellet fuel would be “a much more pollution-prone source of heat” than what the Mohawk propane system or oil is using now invites some basic research.

Indeed, if biomass opponents were truly concerned about negative public health impacts from wood smoke, they would strongly advocate the abolition of home wood stove and fireplace heating, which is 70 percent worse than the emissions from pellet wood stoves.

This is why the American Lung Association, among many other public and private agencies, offer wood stove “change-out” programs that encourage home wood stove owners to trade in their old cord wood stoves for pellet wood stoves.

EPA data demonstrates that replacing 20 old, conventional stoves with 20 EPA-certified stoves will prevent the emission of one ton of particulate matter into the environment each year — an example of the dramatic clean air improvements possible form wood stove change-outs.

Now consider the fact that many Vermont schools have converted from fuel oil and electric heat to woody biomass (wood chip and/or pellet wood) boilers. According to 2009/10 data, the 46 schools that use wood heating systems saved taxpayers $1,764,164. In total, this offset the equivalent use of about 1,500,000 gallons of fuel oil and avoided a total of 15,650 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Would Cooley Dickinson Hospital operate a 500-KW biomass CHP (combined heat and power) plant if it would harm the health of its patients and the neighborhood?

Check out “Powering the Future of Health Care; Financial and Operational Resilience: A Combined Heat and Power Guide for Massachusetts Hospital Decision Makers” published by Health Care Without Harm” (HCWH) at http://www.greenribboncommission.org/archive/downloads/CHP_Guide_091013.pdf.

HCWH is an international coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals, community groups, health-afflicted constituencies, labor unions, environmental and environmental health organizations and religious groups.

The proposal that Mohawk Trail Regional School switch from a fossil fuel heating system to wood pellet fuel is and environmental and economic win-win.

John Bos

Shelburne Falls

Bos was the public information officer for the former Russell Biomass LLC.