As the Monitor reported on Feb. 14, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt met secretly with Gov. Chris Sununu on Tuesday in Concord. This lack of transparency in a democracy is abominable. One can easily surmise that these two were quite cognizant of the fact that their discussions would raise ire in many Granite Staters, and therefore they choose to be as clandestine as possible.
Pruitt stated that they discussed the EPA’s “efforts to develop a carbon-neutral policy for biomass.” Scientific studies show that most of the carbon of forests is stored in the soil. Heavy tree cutting can so disturb the soil that it causes a release of soil carbon that persists for decades. Hence, biomass cannot legitimately be carbon-neutral. End of discussion.
Another item examined by the two was about “removing restrictions on federal forest procurement processes.” In other words, let’s allow logging in our great national forests! Too bad for wildlife, hikers, skiers, tourists, and nature-lovers.
I am left wondering if the two discussed the greatest environmental issue of all time, that of climate change? Did the two contemplate how to prevent the risks of increasing high sea levels on the state’s coast, the ocean acidification and migration of lobsters northward, the decreasing duration and depths of snow for skiers and other winter enthusiasts, the increasing temperatures for heat-intolerant moose, and the loss of our maple industry? I suspect not.
What I suspect is the vast majority of the conversation was about boosting industry, regardless of the environmental consequences. Shame on you both. Mother Nature will not be kind.
Susan Shamel
Hillsborough