Golden State Natural Resources partners with State Building and Construction Trades Council of California on Forest Resiliency Project

Key elements of a forest resiliency project will be constructed using union labor after Golden State Natural Resources partnered with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California. The agreement covers proposed project facilities in Lassen and Tuolumne counties and the Port of Stockton.

“We recognize that a skilled workforce is essential for the timely and reliable construction of our facilities,” said GSNR Board Chair and Inyo County Supervisor Matt Kingsley. “By partnering with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, we are not only committing to quality construction but also investing in the local economy.”

Under these agreements, GSNR has committed to ensuring that members of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California will perform the construction work for the project. In turn, the Building Trades will facilitate the availability of skilled labor necessary to meet project timelines and standards.

“By choosing to partner with the State Building Trades on the Forest Resiliency Project, Golden State Natural Resources has proven their commitment to strong labor standards, the payment of prevailing wages, and the use of registered apprentices, which will create opportunities for local workers training to be the next generation of skilled construction workers,” said Chris Hannan, President of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California. “We are confident that our members will provide the highest quality craftsmanship to get this important project up and running.”

GSNR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation, established by rural counties in California, to address the urgent issue of catastrophic fires resulting from overgrown and undermanaged forests. To tackle the wildfire crisis, researchers along with state and federal policy call for an increase in proactive fuel reduction projects to improve forest health and resiliency. Yet, limited outlets for this overgrown biomass create a significant hurdle to implementation.

GSNR’s Forest Resiliency Project
GSNR’s proposed project aims to enhance the resilience of California’s forestlands against catastrophic wildfires by sustainably collecting and processing excess biomass into wood pellets for renewable energy generation, serving as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels like coal. The initiative involves establishing two wood pellet processing facilities: one in the foothills of the Central Sierra Nevada in Tuolumne County and another in the Modoc Plateau of Lassen County. The finished pellets will be transported by rail to the Port of Stockton for international distribution.

Currently, the project is undergoing an environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act to identify, evaluate, and mitigate any potential impacts. A key component of this process is the release of a Draft Environmental Impact Report, which allows for public review and comment on the report’s adequacy before its finalization.

The DEIR is currently available for review atgoldenstatenaturalresources.com/deir.