Biomassacre of forests – Feds offer millions
As part of that rotten Tassie forest agreement, last week $2.8 million was generously handed to a forest liquidating project run by Dorset Renewable Energies as part of the regional development package. This is a very dangerous foot-in-the-door for all our forests!
And where are the green group signatories to the Tassie deal who so vehemently opposed any biomass projects being part of the deal?
This project includes a substantial bio-ethanol component that will use native forest ‘residue’.
But the Australian government policy on the Renewable Energy Target says:
“Wood waste from native forests was removed from the RET as an eligible renewable energy source in 2011. This amendment was made to ensure that the RET did not provide an incentive for the burning of native forest wood waste for bio-energy, which could lead to unintended outcomes for biodiversity and the destruction of intact carbon stores.” (Climate Change Authority, March 2013)
The grant must be conditional on native forest feedstock being eliminated from the project. Can we please hear this from the green groups who signed the deal?
As well, the forest destroying company Ta Ann, has been given $7.5 million to help build a new plywood mill.
Money given to Tasmania was to create diversity within the economy, not prop up the near dead logging industry – again!