Board unanimously approves comment letter criticizing GSNR DEIR; asks for stronger analysis and tribal consultation

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Jan. 14 to send a comment letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR) Forest Resiliency Demonstration Project, citing omissions and requesting strengthened environmental and community protections.

Supervisor Steve Madrone, who presented the item, told the board he "put forward this letter for consideration by our board" after reviewing the DEIR and public comment. The draft letter requests expanded analysis of forest feedstock sustainability and greenhouse gas life-cycle impacts, enforceable air-quality controls, localized health monitoring for Stockton residents near proposed pellet storage and export operations, and additional review of alternatives to large-scale biomass combustion. During discussion, board members and numerous public commenters urged stronger tribal consultation and questioned assumptions about the climate and forest benefits of large-scale wood-pellet production.

Public comment included speakers from environmental groups, universities and advocacy organizations. Tom Wheeler (EPIC) said the letter reflected concerns voiced by thousands of commenters. Paul Hughes of Forests Forever urged the board to authorize the letter and to prevent industrial-scale pellet facilities from establishing a foothold in California. Several commenters asked the board to remove references that would promote prescribed fire or thinning specifically for biomass combustion and to press GSNR to consider non-combustion uses for residual biomass.

Supervisor Arroyo asked that the draft letter remove specific references to prescribed fire in one sentence of the environmental-impact concerns and add explicit language calling for tribal consultation under the recommendations. The board adopted those two edits and approved the final letter by unanimous vote.

The board recorded the vote as: Supervisor Madrone: yes; Supervisor Bone: yes; Supervisor Arroyo: yes; Supervisor Wilson: yes; Chair Bushnell: yes. Motion carried 5-0. The clerk will transmit the board's letter to the lead agencies conducting the DEIR review.