The Nova Scotia government should be careful in using biomass for power generation, an expert panel said Friday, warning the province’s already stressed forests can’t handle more pressure from the hungry energy sector.
The clear position could make it more difficult for Premier Darrell Dexter to fulfil his pledge to produce 40 per cent of Nova Scotia’s electricity from renewable resources, like biomass, by 2020.
Allan Shaw, one of three members of the arms-length panel, said there is the risk that the province will deplete already taxed forests as it tries to ease its reliance on coal and other polluting energy sources.
"We very much encourage a very cautionary approach, a very slow approach and one that will allow the government to look at what is happening to the forests before further commitments are made," he told reporters at the release of the report titled A Natural Balance.
The document suggests the government should instead look to other sustainable methods to generate power as it tries to reduce greenhouse gases and come up with new energy sources.
The recommendations come just weeks after the NDP government pledged to expand the province’s green energy sector and get at least 25 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015.
It’s an ambitious goal since only 11 per cent of its electricity comes from renewable sources today.
Dexter has said much of that should come from wind power, but it will include forestry biomass, which involves the burning of wood waste and wood products.
Natural Resources Minister John MacDonell reiterated Friday that biomass will be part of the 10-year strategy, but said he realizes government has to find the right balance.
"I don’t see any environmental advantage to cutting our carbon emissions, but turning the province into a moonscape by cutting all the trees and burning them," he said.
"The question is how much can you reasonably do that’s sustainable over the long period."
MacDonell said he will produce a position paper on the issue in August.
The Opposition said it doesn’t oppose the use of biomass, but the government needs to proceed carefully, particularly when it comes to a proposed $200 million, 60-megawatt biomass facility for Cape Breton.
Leo Glavine, the Liberal natural resources critics, said the party has endorsed the NewPage facility, but he says it should be smaller and wants best practices in place to ensure clearcutting is controlled.
"If this can be kept in a balance, that’s fine," he said. "But I see the energy and electricity plan for the province as being in conflict with some of the Natural Balance report."
The report also said issued a strong statement on clearcutting, recommending that it be allowed by permit only. It also said whole-tree harvesting should be ended, with the exception of Christmas tree producers.
The Forest Products Association of Nova Scotia shot back with a statement saying the recommendations would choke off wood supply to the forest industry, leading to cuts at lumber, pulp and paper mills, and in the trucking sector.
"This is a very damaging report for the future of the forest industry in Nova Scotia," Steve Talbot, the association’s executive director, said in a statement.
"We see this as a step by this government to put a stranglehold on the forest industry."
Talbot said the industry generates about $140 million in taxes and exports more than $1 billion in products annually.
Jamie Simpson of the Ecology Action Centre praised the report and said recommendations on clearcutting and whole-tree harvesting should make it more difficult for the province to look to the forest as an energy source.
"Their recommendation to proceed extremely cautiously is well-founded," he said.
"In the absence of regulation, there definitely could be an increase in the amount of clearcutting and poor forest management as a result of creating a large new market for this forest product."
http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1181343.html
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