Environmental activists fear a climate bill in the Massachusetts legislature will breathe new life into a long-proposed biomass power plant in Springfield.
At a City Hall rally with 75 people, speakers from several organizations demanded that proposed language in the climate bill denoting biomass as a “non-carbon emitting” energy source be deleted.
Otherwise, a wood-burning power plant proposed in Springfield could qualify for financial subsidies, said Verne McArthur of the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition.
" This event is about the zombie project -- this biomass plant that Palmer Renewable wants to build and keeps pulling political strings to get loopholes to go do it," said McArthur.
Project opponents are also considering going back to court to argue over whether the building permit the city issued 12 years ago is still valid.
