Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation & Development Council (Y/S RC&DC) in partnership with the North Fork Community Development Council (NFCDC), will be hosting a public meeting and workshop outlining the potential development of a demonstration biomass project located on the North Fork Mill Site.

The community meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 at the North Fork Town Hall.

The day-long project workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30 at the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians Community Room.

The community meeting will outline details regarding the purposed construction of a community-scale (1MW) biomass facility and potential outcomes in North Fork and surrounding communities. The discussion will include: What biomass is and how it can be utilized at a combined heat and energy plant (CHP); the history of the project to date; the potential impact to noise, air and water quality; job creation opportunities; and forest restoration opportunities.

This is an opportunity to discuss the project with residents. Representatives from the Bass Lake Ranger District and the North Fork Community Development Council will be present to provide additional information and respond to questions. Members of the community are encouraged to attend and participate in these discussions.

The project workshop will focus on the potential biomass project as a demonstration project for the Sierra Nevada region. Meeting content will include: Project background, feasibility study results, community outcomes, a site visit, and a brief field trip to the forest, along with other presentations.

Experts will be available to address: Specific technology considerations, potential project impacts, engineering design, and environmental compliance. Representatives from the United States Forest Service, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group and WAVE Technology will be present to provide additional information and respond to questions.

Individuals and groups interested in resource conservation, forest management and economic opportunities, as well as others interested in potential biomass utilization, are encouraged to participate in these discussions. Those who plan on attending should RSVP to admin@ysrcandd.org or 559-877-8664.

A feasibility study analyzed a variety of possible sustainable woody biomass processing opportunities for the North Fork Mill Site. The study determined that a small-scale (1MW) combined heat and power biomass facility was the most economically and environmentally feasible option. A number of activities have taken place to continue to determine the ultimate feasibility of constructing a biomass utilization facility. Y/S RC&DC and the NFCDC are committed to assure the greatest level of community and stakeholder participation throughout this process. The current phase is being supported by a U.S. Forest Service Woody Biomass Utilization Grant national award.

The Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council (Y/SRC&D) is a regional non-profit organization committed to the sustainable management of our natural resources and economic development. Headquartered in North Fork, the council has been serving the foothill and mountain communities of Madera, Mariposa, Fresno and Tulare counties for more than a decade. The Y/S RC&DC and the NFCDC are committed to an open and transparent process that encourages the fullest range of participation.

The Yosemite/Sequoia council's sponsors and partners are diverse and range from tribal governments, environmental and community development organizations, county governments, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils and more. It is the mission of the council to promote the quality and aesthetic values of our cultural, environmental, and recreational resources by improving the quality of life through sustainable, diverse economic development.

The North Fork Community Development Council's mission is to promote the social, economic and environmental welfare of North Fork. The primary goal of the CDC is to redevelop the North Fork Mill Site, helping to create jobs, green space and community serving facilities for the town of North Fork.