Dear Sir/Madam, Re: Please say no to the WECHAR bill (Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration Act of 2009) I am very concerned about the proposed WECHAR Act of 2009 and hope that you will advise and vote against it. I am concerned both about support for an unproven technology and about the impacts of vegetation clearance, including salt cedar removal, on biodiversity and soils. The WECHAR bill would mandate federal loan guarantees for biochar research, development and commercialisation. While soil science research in general should be supported, it is wrong to require scientists to establish the ‘environmental benefits’ of a technology which is so far unproven. A review of the literature indicates that there are numerous concerns that could lead to environmental harms rather than benefits. For this reason, the UNEP has cautioned: “Research is still at a preliminary stage and large-scale biochar deployment is inadvisable until these uncertainties are resolved.” (tinyurl.com/nvak7e). Although there are examples of indigenous farmers’ successful use of charcoal, mixed with highly biodiverse organic residues under specific circumstances, there is no evidence that large-scale charcoal application by itself makes soils more fertile in the long-term or helps to mitigate climate change. If small charcoal particles become airborne, they can have the same significant warming impact as black soot. Furthermore, it is not known how much charcoal carbon remains in soils for how long and there is evidence that charcoal could cause existing soil carbon to be emitted as CO2. Impacts on soil fertility are variable, possibly short-lived and there are no field studies to back up the claims made by lobbyists. Large-scale vegetation removal, including from National Parks cannot be considered carbon negative. The WECHAR Bill is based on the assumption that large-scale removal of salt cedars from the Mojave Desert, pinyon pine and juniper trees from the Great Basin and ‘excess biomass’, including beetle-infested wood, from the Intermountain West will help restore natural water flows and reduce fire risks. However, there is significant evidence pointing to the opposite. Many studies suggest that salt cedars do not require more water than native trees and that they survive along river banks where natural water flow has been disrupted by hydro dams or water diversion. Their removal commonly results in river banks without any tree cover, with less diversity and in more soil erosion. Many bird species, amongst them the endangered Southern Willow Flycatcher, depend on salt cedars in many areas. Removal of pinyon pines, juniper and other trees without active ecological restoration can diminish biodiversity, with over 70 bird species depending on pinyon-juniper ecosystems. Finally, logging of beetle-infested forests has been shown to delay and stunt forest regrowth and it has been shown to reduce fire risks (tinyurl.com/y8nuegy). Even if in some cases vegetation removal could be justified, turning a significant proportion of biomass into a product with no proven value and potential risks – i.e. biochar – makes no sense. I therefore hope that you will reject this bill. Yours faithfully, 1. Alexander Nitz, , Oberdorf 10, 39040 Feldthurns, Italy 1 / {nb} 2. John Seed, Rainforest Information Centre, Lower Spofforth Walk 7/6, 2090 Cremorne, Australia 3. Chen Rezig, GTS Stifterfonds, 19, 69469 Weinheim-St, Germany 4. Boris Gleitzmann, , Craigleith Hill Gardens 5, EH42J Edinburgh, United Kingdom 5. Tomasz Nakonieczny, , Ul. Topograficzna m 21 8, 00910 Warsaw, Poland 6. Arnaud Schwartz, , Route de Mittelhausbergen 54, 67200 Strasbourg, France 7. Maik Schaffer, , Gabriel-Max-Str. 7, 10245 Berlin, Germany 8. Kathrin Keune, artsbased., Missouri Street 1562, 92109 San Diego, California, United States 9. Dirk Ercken, Catholic University Leuven, Willem II straat 30, 3900 Overpelt, Belgium 10. Pietro Fornara, , Op Bierg 14, 8217 Mamer, Luxembourg 11. Dorothea Martin, , Saarstraße 30, 16225 Eberswalde, Germany 12. Ines Staiger, , Chaussee de Waterloo 496C, 1050 Brussels, Belgium 13. Rita Froesch, , Dunbar Street 85, IV30 Burghead, Elgin, United Kingdom 14. Donovan Wagner, , 27 Green Walk, Jam Factory, Block A A018, SE1 4 London, United Kingdom 15. Eva Knauf, , Mayfield Avenue 15, CF5 1 Cardiff, United Kingdom 16. Caecilia Lahner, , Aue 28, 39030 St.Lorenzen, Italy 17. Nathalie Schummer-Even, , Dommeldingerstraße 84, 7222 Walferdingen, Luxembourg 18. Tali Arkushin, , Lotem 6, Oranit, Israel 19. Roman Lautenschlager, , Topeliuksenkatu 7B 36, 00250 Helsinki, Finland 20. Gunnar Möller, , Poststr. 21, 58099 Hagen, Germany 21. Barbara Simon, , Löbingsgasse 06, 69121 Heidelberg, Germany 22. Mike Berry, , 20 byfield close 20, se12d London, United Kingdom 23. Julie Botten, , Seymer Road 79, 00000 Romford, ESSEX, RM1 4LA, United Kingdom 24. Kai-Rüdiger Meyer, , Berg Street 73, 7655 Wellington, South Africa 25. Mike Cox, , Waldeck Street 70, RG1 2 Reading, United Kingdom 26. Susanne Scanlin, , 3686 Bower Road, SW ., 24018 Roanoke, United States 27. Maximilienne Ewalt, , Faxon Ave. 242, 94112 San Francisco, United States 28. Marlene Kaut, , Rodter Straße 23, 4780 Sankt Vith, Belgium 29. Charles Drace, , 24 Hereford St ., 8140 Christchurch, New Zealand 30. Mary-Ann Barnes, , 405 York Blvd. # 104, L8R3M Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Canada 31. P.A. Paye, , , Newbury, United States 32. Denise Lytle, , Poplar St. 73, 08863 Fords, NJ, United States 33. Aisling Reeves, , Wilmer Road 12, SO50 Eastleigh, United Kingdom 34. Stoyka Chipchakova, , 13 Mart Str. 8, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria 35. Joe Naftel, , 89398 Old mohawk Rd OR, 97478 Springfield, United States 36. João Vale-Serrano, , R. Antero Quental 706 - 4C, 4200 Porto, Portugal 37. Hugo Hoehener, , 55 Alsek Rd. , Whitehorse,Yukon Y1A 3K3, Canada 38. Nava Sarracino, , , , Central African Republic 39. Roland Heine, , Kilmore 1, n/a Dowra Co.Leitrim, Ireland 40. Sorin Adrian Dumitrascu, , 342 rue des Pyrénées 342, 75020 PARIS, France 41. David Lee, , Hamilton Close 33, KT19 Epsom, United Kingdom 42. Andrew Cormie, , Old Pines, Holyport Road ., SL62H Maidenhead, United Kingdom 43. Deborah Loe, , Penyston Road 75, SL6 6 Maidenhead, United Kingdom 44. Matt Rhys-Roberts, , Railway Terrace 6, LL14 Ruabon, Gogledd Cymru, United Kingdom 45. Ben Woolley, , South street 13, le12 Leicester, United Kingdom 46. Anne Collins, , Regncy court 4, hp217 Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom 47. Rosa Maria Santos, , Lousada , Lousada, Portugal 48. William Galli, , 16 parker st. , 01247 N.adams, United States 49. Walter Gomes, , R. António Carneiro 185-1º D, 4450- Matosinhos, Portugal 50. Clare Palgrave, , Valedown, Maybourne Rise Mayford, GU22 WOKING, United Kingdom 2 / {nb} 51. Martin Mccarthy, , 12 baldwin cresecent , gu4 7 Guildford, United Kingdom 52. Bodhee Raju, , Indco2 ara, 62410 Kotagiri, India 53. Pedro Miguel Guimarães Cardia Lopes, , Largo dos Arcos da Ribeira, R/C Esquerdo 52, 4050- Porto, Portugal 54. Elizabeth Lee, , 33 Hamilton Close 33, KT19 Epsom, United Kingdom 55. Paul Shorter, , Camborne Drive 11, HD22N Huddersfield, United Kingdom 56. Zelda Penzel, , 145 4th Ave. 14A, 10003 New York, United States 57. Christopher Gramstadt, , Flat 4, 48, The Grove, Woking, Surrey , GU21 Woking, United Kingdom 58. Wendy Breiby, , 77 Cove Rd , 02568 Tisbury, United States 59. Monika Szigeti, , Maweena Place 9, 7050 Kingston, Australia 60. Michela De Giusti, , Clifton Villas 21c, w9 2p London, United Kingdom 61. Paula Serraller, , Apartado Postal 181, 20280 Fuenterrabia, Spain 62. Laura Herndon, , 125 N. Brighton St. #231, 91506 Burbank, United States 63. Dale Coker, Www.iars.org.uk, 2617 Yorkmont Drive , 35226 Birmingham, United States 64. Caroline Prout, , Allée marc chagall 4, 77420 Champs-sur-marne, France 65. Vic Bostock, , 17 Cliveden Green 17, 91001 Nottingham, United Kingdom 66. Kylin O Brien, , 50 Bridge Street , 11201 Brooklyn, NY, United States 67. Nicholas Paul, , 5039 Cypress Palms Lane , 33647 Tampa, United States 68. Jeffrey Jeffrey Allen, , 595 Brookdale Ave. , Toronto, Canada 69. Derek Stockdale, , Deanfield 13, BT196 Bangor, United Kingdom 70. Norma McNaught, , Riverside Road 38, G43 Glasgow, United Kingdom 71. Kim Bauer, , e.lingard 432, 93535 Lanc, United States 72. Sandra Betts, , Arbor Ave 19, 3160 Belgrave, Australia 73. Philippe Fortini, , Rue de dijon 3, 06000 Nice, France 74. Michael Sackin, , Westminster Road 18, LE2 2 Leicester, United Kingdom 75. Gary Beckerman, , 3584 Pine Street , 93460 Santa Ynez, California, United States 76. Zach Tybalt, , Glenivor,oakwell road 1, DG7 1 Castle douglas, United Kingdom 77. David Loy, , Ashfield Cottage, Church Lane, Welton , LN23L Lincoln, United Kingdom 78. Neil Armstrong, , Caia medio 7, 18400 Orgiva, Spain 79. Tom Wright, , 1 osborne road 1, E10 London, United Kingdom 80. Gillian Miller, , Bernadine Close 1, RG42 Bracknell, United Kingdom 81. Antony Melville, , 43 Fieldway Crescent 43, N5 1P London, United Kingdom 82. Emma Greener, Altecdata, , hu177 Beverley, United Kingdom 83. Caroline Prout, , Allée marc chagall 4, 77420 Champs-sur-marne, France 84. Lisa Penney, , 2455 E 4th Ave , V5M 1 Vancouver, Canada 85. Martin Ecker, , Goethestr. 114, 39012 Meran, Italy 86. Louise Holloway, , The Avenue 6, BN7 1 Lewes, United Kingdom 87. James Alden, , Kingsway 649, M19 1 Manchester, United Kingdom 88. Maria Stella Stange Del Carpui, , Augustenstraße 67, 80333 München, Germany 89. Wolf Schneider, , Hopitalstr. 4, 37073 Göttingen, Germany 90. Linda Morgan, , 10 Cherrywood Court , 94806 San