WOOD PELLET EXPORT TO EUROPE. Our Forests Are Not Fuel

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1 WOOD PELLET EXPORT TO EUROPE Our Forests Are Not Fuel

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3 SOUTHERN FORESTS

4 Southern Forests Highest concentration of tree species diversity in North America. Highest concentration of aquatic diversity in the continental US, including the richest temperate freshwater ecosystem in the world. Highest concentration of wetlands in the US (75% of which are forested).

5 Increasing Demand for Biomass

6 Wood Pellet Production in the US

7 Impacts on the Ground

8 Impacts on the Ground

9 KEY CAMPAIGN OPPORTUNITIES Shifting policy in the EU (UK, Netherlands, EU) Shifting policy in the US Stopping industry expansion in the southern US

10 Each year a tree is allowed to grow, it absorbs and holds more carbon than the year before.

11 According to EPA, US forests currently capture 15% of total annual carbon emissions each year.

12 Biomass energy been treated as carbon neutral Why? The trees grow back argument: Forest re-growth takes up carbon released by burning. No net release of CO2, but re-sequestration takes decades to centuries. The waste argument: Materials burned are waste and would decompose/emit CO2 anyway. How you define waste matters. Combustion is immediate, while decomposition takes years to decades.

13 What does the atmosphere see when trees are burned for electricity? Freshly cut wood is nearly half water by weight, so burning wood emits about 40% more carbon pollution than burning coal to produce an equivalent amount of energy.

14 What happens to the forest carbon sink? Cutting down trees for energy production disrupts vital carbon, a major tool in fighting climate change, and impedes ongoing forest carbon sequestration.

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16 What s happening on the ground? December 2014 photo of Enviva s Ahoskie facility, with supplies of what appear to be whole trees and/or coarse woody residues for use in pellet production.

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18 US risks repeating the same mistakes as EU.

19 The stakes are high for the US.

20 and the world Down the current path, EPA action is likely to lead to similar treatment of biomass internationally. In a carbon-constrained scenario, IEA projects electricity from biomass would rise by around 6 EJ by 2035 (1,632 TWH) = 6% of global electricity in This level of biomass is equal to 70% of total wood harvest in the world today (FAO estimates), and roughly 140% of total commercial wood harvest, which excludes traditional firewood.

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22 90% of southern US forests are privately owned.

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24 60% bottomland hardwood forests lost

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27 97% longleaf pine forest lost

28 27 endangered species and over 100 species of concern

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30 Conversion to pine monocultures by 2040, 25% of forests plantation monocultures

31 No federal regulation of forestry practices on private land * * Limited regulation of forestry activities under the federal Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act

32 No state regulation of forestry practices or sustainability in southeastern states Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Mississippi Louisiana Alabama Georgia Florida Forest practice law NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Notify before cutting YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Prohibit large scale clearcutting NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Prohibit wetland logging NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Prohibit plantation monoculture conversion NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Protect high-value forests NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Require reforestation after cuts NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

33 Less than 2% of private forestland in southeastern states is certified under. * * Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana

34 SUMMARY Bottomland hardwood, longleaf pine and other natural forests imperiled Some pellets sourced from hardwood forests and wetlands Pellet demand from plantations incentivizes conversion from natural forests to plantations No federal regulation in US of forest practices on private land In southern US, no state regulation of forest practices Less than 2% of forests in southern US Xxx xxxx certified

35 Adam Macon Sasha Stashwick Derb Carter