Forest Biomass Waste Utilization for Energy

The District is sponsoring projects to cost effectively collect, process, transport, and utilize woody forest biomass wastes for renewable energy as an alternative to disposal by open pile burning or mastication (shred and scatter). In a public-private partnership demonstration project (report (PDF)/video) with the United States Forest Service, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and Sierra Pacific Industries, over 6,000 tons of forest slash from fuel hazard reduction treatments in the Tahoe National Forest were utilized for energy.

• Published peer reviewed technical article (PDF) in the Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association documenting the air quality benefits of biomass energy as an alternative to open pile burning.
• Investing in a biomass waste for energy project (PDF) at the Blodgett Forest Research Station in cooperation with the University of California Berkeley, College of Natural Resources, Center for Forestry.

The District was honored with a 2011 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Excellence Award (PDF) from the significant reductions in air pollutant emissions achieved through numerous forest waste energy projects.