(CN) — A California nonprofit organization has decided to revise its controversial plan to build two wood pellet processing plants that would turn excess biomass in the state’s forests into pellets to be shipped overseas for use in renewable energy generation.
Golden State Natural Resources said Wednesday it will develop a reduced-scale project focused on domestic, rather than international, use of sourced wood, producing wood chips instead of pellets. The project will target emerging demand in California and nearby regions for sustainable energy and alternative wood products.
“By supplying biomass domestically to emerging green industries in sustainable fuel production and innovative wood products, GSNR’s reduced-scale project not only increases forest resiliency, but directly supports sustainable biomass use innovation in accordance with state and federal goals,” Patrick Blacklock, the nonprofit’s president, said in a statement.
The organization’s proposed Forest Resiliency Project has drawn the ire of environmentalists who say California needs to rethink “falling for the biomass delusion.”
Golden State Natural Resources was formed by rural counties to reduce massive wildfires fueled by overgrown, undermanaged forests. The project aims to use low-value forest material like ladder fuels and dead trees to lower wildfire risk and improve forest health.
Processing facilities are planned for Tuolumne and Lassen counties. Under the now shelved original plan, pellets would have been shipped internationally from the Port of Stockton.
Golden State Natural Resources has received more than 5,500 public comments on its draft environmental impact report for the original proposal, according to a memo by Blacklock to the organization’s board that called for a possible recalibration of the project.
These comments included concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, the carbon accounting of wood pellets, forest treatment methods, air quality impacts, the long-term market viability of proposed biomass products and an interest in evaluating additional alternatives.
The organization was also facing potential lawsuits from environmental activists opposed to the project.
The decision to abandon wood pellet production for shipment overseas was welcomed by a coalition of grassroots, national, and international groups who had been fighting the project.
“Stopping this dirty, dangerous wood pellet export project is a big victory for communities, the climate and our forests,” said Shaye Wolf, climate science director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Our forests shouldn’t be fed to the woodchipper for polluting biomass pellets shipped overseas. Unfortunately, the new proposal to sacrifice forests and communities to make dirty biomass products here in California is still bad for the climate, public health and wildlife. We’ll continue to fight to protect our forests from being industrialized for corporate profit.”
