EPFW Passes Resolution Regarding Biomass from Sierra Nevada Forests

EPFW Resolution on the use of “Community Scaled Biogas” vs “Conventional  Biomass” 

Resolution number 125, dated 1/25/2024 

EPFW has passed the following Resolution regarding the use of woody biomass from Sierra  Nevada forests: 

Whereas it is the Mission of EPFW to protect, promote, and restore healthy forests and  watersheds, and to maintain the quality of life in the Sierra Nevada, EPFW supports responsible  forest management and logging methods; 

Whereas Calaveras County is a rural county of 663,290 acres, of which 77,500 is held in private  timber production and 75,072 is USDA forest land, EPFW recognizes the urgent need, with  climate change and years of drought having caused massive tree die offs and wildfires, to have  fire safety measures taken that include creating fire breaks, maintaining defensible space  around homes and roads,  appropriately thinning forests near residential areas, removing  invasive species, removing storm and fire damaged material from communities, and conducting  forest, watershed, and meadow restoration work; 

Whereas EPFW supports efforts to sequester carbon, maintain healthy diverse forests, preserve  mature fire-resistant trees, healthy wildlife habitat, and watersheds; 

Whereas EPFW recognizes that some local disposal of woody material and green waste is  currently reliant on open burning which releases carbon into the atmosphere that could be  reduced with currently available processing methods; 

Whereas EPFW is concerned that in the effort to address fire safety, often environmental  regulations are being waived, and there is no agency currently enabled to effectively oversee  and enforce compliance with existing regulations and forest rules; 

Whereas EPFW recognizes the benefit of supporting local small businesses that can process this  green waste and forest slash material, and that further support the community by bringing  training and employment opportunities to the area as well as producing soil amendment  products and energy for local use and regional sale using the latest technology so as to mitigate  greenhouse gas production and pollution; 

Whereas EPFW recognizes that there are many methods and scale of material processed under  the term “Biomass,” EPFW distinguishes between “Conventional Biomass” methods which may  or may not meet environmental standards, benefit the local community or be sustainable, and  “Community Scaled Biogasification,” which utilizes locally sourced environmentally acceptable  green waste material, benefits the local community and forest habitat, is scaled to the needs of 

the local community, does not require removal of large trees, and regulates the removal of any  healthy trees. 

Whereas EPFW continues to supported the Blue Mountain Biogas Project model that seeks to  develop a community-based cogeneration gasification plant using locally sourced material  within acceptable standards determined by the Amador Calaveras Consensus Group, and which  can produce soil amendments and electricity, utilizing state of the art technology to minimize  any air pollution, while actively training and hiring local residents; 

It is hereby resolved that EPFW approves of the use of community based gasification plants as  an acceptable method of disposing of locally sourced green waste. 

It is further resolved that EPFW opposes the use of “Conventional Biomass” from any forests of  the Sierra Nevada, as it is being used in eastern United States forests and as currently proposed  by Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR) for a plant in Jamestown, CA. This project fails to  meet any of EPFW’s criteria of concern for biomass projects. Specifically, EPFW opposes this  plan to create wood pellets that are considered to be “dirty” energy and then transport them by  truck to be shipped across the ocean. EPFW opposes any public support for this project and  urges local government agencies and communities to also oppose this project and to rather  support a “Community Scaled Biogas” model which provides multiple benefits to the local  community and is sustainable. Furthermore, EPFW recommends that any biomass project utilize  strictly defined locally sourced material collected under responsible guidelines and, as part of  the project, an independent oversight and enforcement entity be established.