When you hear about burning biomass for energy, air quality concerns may come to mind. That's what happened when La Pine's new City Council voted on whether or not to allow Silvan Power Co. of Bend to establish a biomass facility in La Pine. But, let's take a step back and learn about the biomass big picture.

Wildfires are one of the leading causes of air pollution in our atmosphere, yet catastrophic, unmanageable and deadly wildfires continue to burn year after year across the globe. How can we reduce this problem for future generations?

By reducing the amount of fuels in our forests through thinning and sustainable management projects, we can cut back on the extreme wildfire danger while harvesting material known as woody biomass to produce energy and fuels. Technology has advanced to the degree that the methods by which biomass is burned for electricity reduces air pollutants by more than two thirds (WSFPIBiomassPaper, 2005). Additionally, young, growing healthy forests convert carbon dioxide to oxygen at greater rates than old forests, helping to naturally clean our air.

All in all, biomass' big picture cycle, job creation, and benefits far outweigh the air quality myths. La Pine City Council’s approval for the biomass plant was a step in the right direction for La Pine and for Central Oregon.