Douglas County approves Sedalia lease and equipment purchases to build county‑run biochar facility

Douglas County commissioners on July 22 approved a series of actions to establish a county‑run biochar facility on a 34‑acre site adjacent to the Sedalia landfill, including a five‑year lease with an option to renew or purchase, equipment purchase orders and an architecture amendment for construction documents.

Staff described the project as a response to increased forest‑thinning and fuel‑reduction activity that has produced volumes of non‑marketable woody material with limited local processing outlets. County officials said the biochar process (pyrolysis) converts low‑value biomass into carbon‑rich material useful for soil health, mine reclamation, water filtration and revegetation after wildfire.

The board approved a five‑year lease (with a five‑year renewal or purchase option) for approximately 34 acres at 6046–6142 U.S. Highway 85 in Sedalia; staff said the annual lease payment will be $105,000. The board also approved three purchase orders with Complete Solutions Consulting International for equipment: a biomass energy technologies pyrolysis rotating drum (approximately $1,602,921); a feedstock handling system ($496,045); and a 17‑inch diameter log chipping and grinding system ($1,114,041.28). The board approved Amendment 1 to DLH Architecture’s contract to add construction documents for the Delver Road biochar facility and future public works maintenance facility ($252,910). Commissioners had previously allocated $3,000,000 to fund facility structure planning, staff said.

Staff said the Sedalia site positions the facility to serve the county’s north and northwest areas and to co‑locate other public works functions—household hazardous waste drop‑off and green‑waste processing—on the same property. County presentations emphasized the project’s potential to reduce transport costs for forest fuels, accelerate removal of hazardous fuels, and create a locally available product for revegetation and contamination remediation. Staff and outside consultants noted the county could become the first U.S. county to own and operate a biochar facility if the project proceeds as proposed.

Commissioners and members of the Wildfire Action Collaborative who attended the meeting praised the concept and staff work. Board members said air‑quality and permitting requirements will be followed; staff noted the selected equipment was chosen in part because vendors could meet local air‑quality constraints and minimize pollutant emissions. Several local wildfire‑mitigation volunteers and collaborative members spoke in support of the project.

The board approved each item by motion and voice vote with no recorded opposition.