Green energy efforts opposed for not being green enough

LONGVIEW — Washington voters gave electrical utilities a clear mandate in 2006 to develop clean, renewable energy.

But some utilities and industries in Western Washington are running into unexpected opposition from environmentalists concerned the projects aren’t green enough.

The Daily News of Longview reported that concerns have been raised over biomass boilers that burn wood inefficiently and create too much air pollution. In southwest Washington, conservation groups oppose a proposed wind farm on Radar Ridge because it sits in the middle of habitat for the threatened marbled murrelet.

Under Initiative 937, large utilities are required to get 3 percent its generation from renewable sources such as wind, biomass, tidal and solar by 2012. The requirements jump to 9 percent in 2016 and 15 percent in 2020.