Biomass and wood pellets, often touted as renewable or clean-energy alternatives to fossil fuels, may be far more costly for public health and air pollution than previously thought, according to a new report.

Mississippi is home to four wood-pellet mills, producing more than 2 million tons of pellets per year.

Edie Juno, forestry specialist for the National Wildlife Federation and co-author of the study, said bioenergy contributes 3% to 17% of total emissions from electricity generation, depending on the pollutant, despite only representing around 1% of total generation capacity. Additionally, its use raises concerns about potential health risks.

"Hazardous air pollutants, perhaps, and particulate matter, volatile organic compounds," Juno outlined. "We found that actually, compared to fossil fuel emissions, on average, the emissions from the bioenergy facilities are up to about three times higher for the same unit of energy generated."

Juno suggested policymakers can use the report to better consider the carbon implications of energy sources. While Mississippi aims for net-zero carbon by 2050, renewable energy remains limited, comprising only 3% of the state's power generation. Biomass dominates the sector, with solar trailing significantly.

Biomass appears to comprise a small portion of U.S. energy sources, expected to be 2% to 3%, but the study revealed many facilities are missing from current inventories, which suggests significant underestimation of the sector's actual emissions, meaning wider environmental effects on communities.

Sarav Arunachalam, professor and deputy director of the Institute for the Environment at the University of North Carolina, shed light on how it occurs.

"It's possible, based upon the prevailing winds, the pollution may be going away from where people live, but we don't know," Arunachalam acknowledged. "But the fact that we have over 2 million people in the U.S. living within a couple of kilometers of a facility, I think that's a big number you want to watch out for."

Arunachalam noted trees in the Southeast are the driving force behind a significant portion of the nation's wood emissions. The effect is concentrated in six or seven states, although the Pacific Northwest also contributes.

Climate and environmental activists along the Texas Coast are celebrating after receiving favorable news from an insurance company covering liquefied natural gas terminals.

Melanie Oldham, director of the group Better Brazoria Clean Air and Water, said after a meeting with members of their front line community, Chubb Insurance denied coverage for the expansion of one project and they are hopeful the same will be true for a planned plant expansion in Freeport.

"They said keep track of all the operational problems of Freeport LNG and we will keep looking at them," Oldham explained. "And we're hoping Chubb takes the lead and stops insuring these LNG's."

The plant in Freeport is the second-largest in the United States. It was shut down for several months in 2022 following an explosion, which federal investigators said was caused by inadequate operating and testing procedures, human error and fatigue.

Oldham lives about four miles from the Freeport plant and multiple petrochemical companies. Two oil export projects are also proposed for the area. She pointed out the community of around 13,000 people suffers from many illnesses due to the hazardous chemicals released from the plants.

"We have 65% Hispanic, Black, White, Asian; very low-income community," Oldham noted. "I'm a health care professional, I helped Texas Department of State Health do a cancer cluster study here in 2018. We have eight types of cancers higher than to be expected. COPD, it just goes on and on."

Oldham and others said further permitting of oil and gas infrastructure on the Gulf Coast would quadruple gas exports and likely cause hurricanes to hit the region even harder and they are calling on the Biden administration to permanently ban such facilities.


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Lansing residents and businesses can breathe easier following a new 15-year renewable energy deal.

The partnership between General Motors and North Star Clean Energy will harness solar power to lower carbon footprints and deliver cleaner energy to the community. The partnership will also supply renewable energy directly to the grid powering GM's Lansing Delta Township and Lansing Grand River assembly plants.

Rob Threlkeld, director of global energy strategy for General Motors, shared how it is also a positive step in the battle against climate change.

"It's really sourcing renewable electricity," Threlkeld explained. "That obviously is replacing fossil generation with renewables, in support of our efforts to address, really, the climate change in general."

The project fuels Michigan's Healthy Climate Plan, signed into law last November by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The state has a goal to achieve 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.

The state's Healthy Climate Plan also targets generating 60% of Michigan's electricity from renewable sources and phasing out coal-fired power plants by 2030. Threlkeld noted the effort to achieve a healthy climate environment is expansive.

"It's not just GM and a few companies," Threlkeld pointed out. "It's more about how do we scale this beyond the number -- all the way down to our supply chain as well."

Threlkeld added a newly launched solar array in Arkansas will power multiple GM plants across Michigan and Missouri, marking a significant step toward sustainable energy in the automotive industry.


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A survey of 760 registered Latino voters found 87% of Latinos support projects to produce a cleaner, natural world.

The poll, conducted in 10 states, including Illinois, was commissioned by the Hispanic Access Foundation. The organization creates outreach efforts to inspire individuals to improve themselves, their families and their communities.

Vanessa Muñoz, waterways program manager for the Hispanic Access Foundation, said the survey showed disparities and injustices in the Latino community and is designed to empower community leaders' push for change and boost issue awareness. She noted the survey's timing is crucial.

"We are in an election year," Muñoz emphasized. "The survey results can play a critical role in shaping and informing policy discussions and ensuring that the needs and perspective of Latino voters are considered in the electoral process."

Among those surveyed, 91% of Latinos support policies for future Congressional sessions such as new national monuments, national parks or wildlife refuges to protect areas for outdoor recreation.

Environmentalists are seeing an increase in Latino advocacy in the challenge to clean up U.S. land and waters, especially in the Mississippi River area.

Muñoz explained one goal is the Biden Administration's 30 by 30 plan, which calls for conserving 30% of America's lands, fresh water and oceans by the year 2030.

"We found that 86% of Latinos think that PFAS or forever chemicals are a major threat to the Mississippi River," Muñoz outlined. "Another one was that 93% of Latinos believe that trash dumped in rivers and streams is a major threat to the Mississippi River."

Other survey respondents were based in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.