DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
The 90-day review period for the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for Golden State Natural Resources’ (GSNR) proposed forest resiliency demonstration project has officially ended. At this time, the submitted comments are being reviewed and will be responded to, as appropriate, as part of the development of the final EIR, which will be presented to the Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) Board for final certification later in 2025.
GSNR’s proposed project is currently in the environmental review process under CEQA to ensure any and all potential impacts are identified, comprehensively evaluated, and mitigated to the fullest extent feasible. A significant step in this process is the public review and comment upon the DEIR. The DEIR was released for public review and comment on October 22, 2024, with a 90-day review period that closed in late January.
Find the DEIR report and details on how to participate in the final certification process by clicking the button below.
GSNR's proposed forest resiliency project would sustainably procure and process excess biomass produced as part of forest health initiatives into a pelletized fuel source (wood pellets) for use in renewable energy generation overseas, as a replacement for fossil fuels such as coal.
The proposed project would include the development of two wood pellet processing facilities, one in the foothills of the Central Sierra Nevada Mountain range, in Tuolumne County, and one in the Modoc Plateau of Northern California, in Lassen County. The finished pellets would then be shipped by rail to the Port of Stockton for international shipping.
This project is supported through a 20-year Master Stewardship Agreement with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for all of California’s 18 national forests in Region 5 as well as a blanket purchase agreement with USFS.
PROJECT SITES
Click on the location names below to find information and resources for each of the three project sites including details on any upcoming community meetings.
MANUFACTURING AND TRANSPORT PROCESS
A graphic illustration of the proposed process, from gathering of biomass, to formation of wood pellets, through transportation and export, is depicted below.
