Lake County board approves amendment to allow second carbonizer at Middletown site

The Lake County Board of Supervisors approved a first amendment to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) authorizing Earth Foundries Incorporated to operate a second mobile pyrolysis carbonizer at the Lake O'San property in Middletown, the board heard during its meeting. The measure passed on a 5-0 vote and the chair was authorized to sign the amendment.

Community Development Director Maria Turner told the board the amendment was needed because Earth Foundries secured a second carbonizer to increase the amount of trees and other wood the contractor can process in a 24-hour period. Turner said Lake County Air Quality Management District staff reviewed calculations for a second unit and “are comfortable with operation of this second” carbonizer, and that a notice of exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was already filed.

The amendment modifies Section 1 of the original MOU to state the mobile processing program “shall include operation of 2 carbonizer units,” and expressly identifies the Lake O'San property as the site, giving an address in Middletown as included in the amendment language. County Counsel summarized the textual edits, saying the revision clarifies references to the original agreement and replaces singular references to “carbonizer” with plural references to “carbonizer units.” Turner said she has a digitally signed version from the contractor and that County Council has vetted the amendment.

County Counsel and staff described three operational contingencies tied to the Air Quality Management District’s comfort with a second unit: no additional wood may be imported to the Lake O'San location for processing, existing on-site wood and the carbonizer units must maintain their current setbacks from the creek, and work must be completed by April 30. Turner said the amendment accounts for those conditions; she also deferred detailed operational questions to the Special Districts Administrator, who has been more involved with the ongoing project.

A participant identified as Robin said adding a second carbonizer would accelerate processing of the backlog of wood and help reduce unauthorized access and theft at the site. Supervisor Sabatier asked whether the CEQA exemption should be noted in the amendment’s recitals; Turner responded that the CEQA evaluation is not part of the MOU text itself but that a notice of exemption has been filed and will be amended if necessary.

There were no public comments on the item. A board member moved to approve the First Amendment to the MOU between the Lake County Sanitation District and Earth Foundries Incorporated for operation and placement of a mobile pyrolysis unit (carbonizer) in Middletown and to authorize the chair to sign; another board member seconded the motion. The board voted 5-0-0 in favor and the motion carried.

The amendment’s immediate effect is to permit operation of two carbonizers at the identified Lake O'San site under the listed air-quality and setback conditions and the April 30 completion deadline. Staff indicated they will implement the amendment consistent with the Air Quality Management District conditions and the signed amendment form.