Concerned Citizens of North Springfield and Springfield, Vermont have formed the “North Springfield Action Group or NoSag”, a non-profit organization. The purpose of our organization is to emphasize region-wide cooperation to educate residents about biomass, its hazards for people and the negative effects on the environment.
Our efforts will be to work with the Public Service Board and constitutes to address the many issues being presented by the company that proposes to build the 25 to 35 megawatt biomass-burning facility. The plant is proposed at the North Springfield Industrial Park that is located in the residential community of North Springfield, Vermont.
One of the biggest problems with biomass burning is particulate emissions and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions are generally three times the amount emitted by an equally sized coal plant.
Burning biomass puts out more particulates per megawatt hour of electricity generated than burning coal. Particulate pollution tends to fall out of the air within a few miles of the stack. The valley geography of the North Springfield area will lend itself to high particulate levels for residents and the community. There is no safe level of particulate pollution. Study after study has shown a tight link between particulate pollution levels in a community's air and the rates of respiratory illness, asthma medication use, heart disease, cancer, and Emergency Room visits. In fact mortality rates fluctuate in lock step with air particulate levels. This has been seen again and again; for instance, after the mill closes down, average lifespan in a mill town will jump up a couple of years. Doctors have spoken out about biomass plant construction, particulate pollution and public health and scientific evidence supports the dangers.
The Purpose of the North Springfield Action Group
To support the health and quality of life of the inhabitants of North Springfield, Springfield and vicinity by supporting, monitoring and promoting the healthy and sustainable environment through good stewardship, and support of the practices that protect and meet or exceed standards for all natural resources, promote local and regional clean renewable energy use and development, and conservation programs, including appropriate heat and power systems.
To inform and involve local residents in their future land use and energy uses by providing education and participation as an organization at local, regional and state meetings and administrative hearings, including the courts, to support and defend or oppose when necessary the use of natural resources, energy efficiency programs and generation facilities.
The NoSAG Board of Directors
- Bob Kischko, Chair
- Maggie Kelly, Vice-Chair
- Julie Jones, Secretary
- Chris Kelly, Treasurer
- Rick Hunter, At Large