There’s still time to weigh in on the Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR) Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for two massive wood pellet production facilities and an export terminal that threaten Northern California’s forests and air quality. Email your comments to ceqacomments@gsfahome.org with “GSNR DEIR Comment” in the subject line by January 20, 2025.
GSNR, a public benefit corporation created by Rural County Representatives of California and Golden State Finance Authority, is working with companies like Drax to bring polluting wood pellet facilities to California, following a model that has already devastated forests in the Southeastern U.S. The project includes two mills in Lassen and Tuolumne Counties to process California’s forests into wood pellets for export from a new shipping and storage facility in Stockton to power plants overseas. Alarmingly, part of the project area may also draw from Humboldt County’s forests.
This project threatens wildlife, has the potential to increase logging, and pollutes at every step, harming habitats of species like the California spotted owl and Pacific fisher. Communities near the Stockton port would face toxic emissions, heightened health risks, and fire hazards from pellet storage and shipping. In the DEIR, GSNR admits that the project’s emissions conflict with meeting California’s climate goals. Burning wood for electricity at this scale is a disastrous choice for our climate, forests, and communities.
On January 14th, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to submit a critical comment letter regarding the DEIR. The letter expresses concerns regarding the disconnect between the scale of the project and wildfire resiliency needs. Namely, while GSNR claims that the project will help reduce wildfire risk and overstocking, it may require much more roundwood to maintain profitability as only 15% of the feedstock is slated to come from high-density forest stands. The Board of Supervisors letter also addresses the air quality concerns for the community of Stockton, which is already classified as an environmental justice community under California law. Several concerned citizens from across California called in to give comments in support of the letter and in opposition to the project, along with several others in person. At the meeting, the Supervisors agreed to make small changes to the letter which direct GSNR to consult with tribes regarding the project and to discuss prescribed fire as a resiliency strategy in the DEIR.
EPIC submitted its own comment letter, which dives into detail regarding the emissions of the producing and shipping the wood pellets and end-stage emissions with energy production. Many of these emissions are not adequately monitored or mitigated. EPICs letter points out the declining favorability of biomass in the clean energy industry, as it is difficult to ensure the process is carbon neutral and because it relies heavily on subsidies which are more often going to cleaner forms of energy. The DEIR also glaringly omits analysis of carbon storage and sequestration loss caused by the regrowth period for trees that are removed. EPIC calls for alternative project analysis in which wood pellets are not shipped to Europe or Asia, but rather sold for smaller scale use. The letter calls out Drax’s poor track record when it comes to environmental protections for large and mature trees as well as air quality violations and asks that this is included in the DEIR for transparency.
A coalition of environmental organizations and community groups are fighting to take down this monster of a project at many levels, including a day of lobbying efforts in Sacramento on January 8th to try to get legislators involved in opposition to the project.
Here are some critical points to include in your own comment:
The Lassen Site may potentially take biomass feedstock from Humboldt County forests, Humboldt County should protect our vital ecosystems and not be supporting greenwashed projects
This project poses significant risks to California’s climate, communities, and forests, and should be rejected.
Wood pellet storage and handling at ports present major fire and explosion hazards, with piles prone to spontaneous combustion.
Repeated incidents in other states have resulted in prolonged fires, harmful air pollution, and worker injuries or fatalities.
Stockton’s port community already experiences one of the highest pollution burdens in California, with elevated rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, low birth weights, and poverty.
Wood pellets are a carbon-intensive, polluting, and inefficient energy source, emitting more carbon at the smokestack than fossil fuels, including coal.
Significant emissions occur throughout the project lifecycle—from cutting trees, transporting raw materials, producing pellets, and shipping them overseas.
This project conflicts with California’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building a clean energy future.
The wood pellet industry depends on unsustainable government subsidies from other countries, which could vanish, leaving California with stranded assets.
Increased logging to support wood pellet production would harm sensitive and endangered species like the Pacific fisher and California spotted owl.
The wood pellet industry has historically harmed low-income communities and communities of color in other regions, exacerbating environmental health disparities.
Take action by January 20th! Email your comments to ceqacomments@gsfahome.org with “GSNR DEIR Comment” in the subject line.
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