Letters to the Editor: Biomass boiler the right thing for UM, Missoula

The Missoulian recently called for more information regarding the University's Biomass project. We have the responsibility to think carefully about the University's contribution to the environmental health of our region and our planet. Where appropriate, safe and cost-effective, we should take action to minimize emissions that contribute to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Indeed, the Missoulian reported Friday that carbon emissions worldwide are running well ahead of worst-case scenarios. I offer the following points regarding UM's project:

• Carbon footprint: Fundamentally, burning fossil fuels, including natural gas, results in a permanent (for all practical purposes) movement of carbon from below ground into the atmosphere. Burning biomass recycles carbon that already exists in the biosphere in the form of trees and other living material, slowing the net increase in atmospheric carbon. For UM, we estimate a 22 percent reduction in our carbon footprint through the use of biomass over natural gas.

• The process: When people hear of biomass as a fuel source, many recall earlier times in Missoula when wood stoves contributed in a major way to air pollution. None of us wants to return to those conditions. This biomass plant works in a process very different from ordinary combustion. The biomass is first turned into a gas not all that different from natural gas. That gas is then burned to produce steam for heating. The process is dramatically more efficient than ordinary combustion and also allows for the effective capture of remaining pollutants.

• Air quality and the environment: Of immediate concern is whether we are trading an improvement in carbon emissions for degradation in other emissions, notably nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate matter. We are not. The Missoula City-County Health Department has approved an air quality permit, which is moving through the appeal process at the present time. The fact is that the emissions from the proposed biomass plant are projected to meet every applicable air quality standard in existence at the local, state and federal level. Furthermore, our painstakingly prepared Environmental Assessment Report concludes there will be no significant impact in all applicable categories of environmental concern.

• Fuel source: Our biomass fuel would come from the by-products of an industry important to western Montana, the timber industry. Much timber industry waste makes its way into atmospheric carbon already, either through burning or through natural decomposition. Capturing its inherent energy makes good sense. We already tested local biomass fuel in existing biomass plants, and it works well. Our fuel will come from areas near Missoula.

• Finances: The premise when we began this project was that cost savings between our current fuel, natural gas, and our proposed fuel, biomass, was substantial. The annual savings would be used to finance the project over a number of years, assisted by the availability of special low-interest energy bonds from the federal government. However, in the past year the price of natural gas has fallen quite dramatically, challenging the cost advantage of biomass. We may, in fact, be forced to delay implementation of the project on financial grounds, and we are watching the price of natural gas closely.

• Public input: While some are attempting to characterize our process as closed and non-transparent, nothing could be further from the truth. This project has been the subject of at least 11 publicly advertised listening sessions and forums, including publicly noticed meetings of the Board of Regents. A biomass feasibility study, the air quality application and the environmental assessment all are available online at http://www.umt.edu/biomassplant. We invite any questions, and we will respond in a reasonable timeframe.

• The future: The biomass project is the right thing for the University to do as a responsible citizen of Missoula and our global society. We will continue to move forward methodically and with all due diligence. Assuming financial feasibility and ultimate approval by the Missoula Air Pollution Control Board, we will bring this forward-thinking project to fruition.

Royce C. Engstrom

President, The University of Montana