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Yes, I see what you are saying about our hospital, we only have one here, but it is set up to burn any pelletized fuel.  I agree that it is small scale compared to a city, but we live in a small town.  My point was the hospital shows what can happen on a larger scale.

I understand that harvesting biomass means actively going into the forest.  We actively go into the forest for logging and thinning.  I disagree with your assumption of the quantity of the biomass fuel available in the forest I work in.  It has the down woody debris as a resource in a volume that could be used in a biomass plant along with all the juniper that is cut and just left to be burnt.  Even though the juniper is not renewable it is a resource to augment the renewable resource.

I don't see all the seedling being planted in the slash pile areas you are talking of.  Most of the trees on our forest are planted in areas where forest fires have occurred.  As far as the few guys and a pumper truck are concerned that is not how we take care of much of the slash here.  I guess you could call a thinning project with slash piles a couple of guys, we actively thin using contractors and they are responsible for the slash piles they generate and have to use forest protocols.  Some slash piles are used to school our fire crews in the spring.  Some slash pile left after a sale and not required to be removed are used for public use firewood, sometime free use.  So on our forest this is Not the only reason slash piles are burnt.  I guess even it was the only reason those slash piles were burnt it does not discount the fact that the slash could be used by a biomass plant instead of being burnt, burnt without all the emissions being released.

I don't know about your forest protocols and contracts but ours are monitored, sometimes daily.  I have watched our forest work hand in hand with those groups that pursue lawsuits.  All you need to do is drive a few miles into this Eastern Oregon forest and you will see slash.  Under story burning, we do our fair share of that, also involves fuels that could be used in a biomass plant.

We are all forced by a court of law to do a sundry of things daily, wear your seat belt, pay your taxes, etc.  We have to leave room for trust, or if we don't, get involved.  Keep your enemies close might be a good adage, if you feel they are.

posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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With free range slash and under burning taking place every year, why not a biomass plant in those areas that can sustain it.  Control what is released into the air at a biomass plant vs no control in the managed burning that takes place now.  Working in the forest, doing many different studies, one including down woody debris and fuel loading plots, I have thought for several years this could be just what my county needs. 

Renewable? Walk a scant 30,000 acre area, go back in another year after wind, heavy snows and disease, you will find a very renewable resource.  Juniper, another resource.  The juniper could involve many private land owners that may reap a benefit by selling to the biomass plants.  More dollars in their pockets also enriches our local economy. 

Worry about total loss of down woody debris?  The sky is not falling and that is an extreme if you think about it.  There is a protocol for everything we do in the forest why would one think it would be different for a biomass plant that is harvesting in the forests?  On private land, contrary to public belief most ranchers and land owners are very picky about what is harvested from their lands and how it is done, some not so much.  Lets not let the few rule the responsible.

Harney District Hospitals water and heat is provided by pellets from by products, saw dust pellets.  The DEQ was so impressed with the lack of emissions it put them low on the watch dog list.  The particulate matter that comes out of this system is almost not existent due to the fact it is burnt at such high temperatures.  The emissions that are released go right back to the forest to feed the trees from whence it came.  A cyclical system, is that not what we are looking for?  The system at our hospital is a poster child for what can be done with wood waste.

In Harney County we are one of the poorest counties in Oregon.  We have a huge knowledgeable and skill based work force that made their living in the forests.  It would be beautiful to see these families at work again and some back together as one parent usually works out of the area.  The benefit for my county would be huge, sustainable jobs and with a renewable resource.

posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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