Not everyone agrees, as evidenced by lawn signs in this northwestern Massachusetts town reading ``Biomass? No Thanks.'' In fact, power generated by burning wood, plants and other organic material, which makes up 50 percent of all renewable energy produced in the United States, according to federal statistics, is facing increased scrutiny and opposition. That, critics say, is because it is not as climate-friendly as once thought, and the pollution it causes in the short run may outweigh its long-term benefits. The opposition to biomass power threatens its viability as a renewable energy source when the country is looking to diversify its energy portfolio, urged on by President Obama in an address to the nation Tuesday. It also underscores the difficult and complex choices state and local governments face in pursuing clean-energy goals.
Editor's note · Context
The speaker discusses the scrutiny and opposition facing biomass power as a renewable energy source.
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