Shasta County Carbon Sequestration Pilot Projects

Leslie Bryan Climate Stewardship CoordinatorWestern Shasta Resource Conservation District leslie@westernshastarcd.org(530) 365-7332 ext. 215

California – A Leader for Finding a Solution

CA Assembly Bill 32 Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 codifies the states goal of reducing global warming emissions to 1990 levels by 2020

CA Air Resources Board

Develop Plan for Implementation of AB 32

Develop and adopt GHG protocols to support emission reduction in

– Agriculture– Energy– Forests– Refrigeration, Air Conditioning Etc.– Land Use and Local Actions– Industry/Manufacturing– Oil & Gas/Refining– Transportation– Waste/Recycling– Water

Website: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm

West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB)

One of seven US Department of Energy regional partnerships

Managed by California Energy Commission

Includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada and Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia

Team of over 80 organizations includes public and private landowners, forestry and energy companies, universities, research organizations, conversation groups and a utility

Goal of researching Geologic and Terrestrial Sequestration opportunities (capture and storage of carbon dioxide) 

Terrestrial Sequestration Potential in Shasta County

Shasta County identified as having a great potential for cost effective terrestrial sequestration projects which may be useful in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases over time

Non-profit organization Winrock International – Lead for Terrestrial Sequestration

Western Shasta Resource Conservation District (WSRCD), is working with Winrock International and W.M. Beaty and Associates to implement pilot projects in the county through May 2010

Pilot Project Overall Objectives

Demonstrate ways to sequester carbon dioxide and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming

Validate the carbon sequestration opportunities identified

Develop methodology, reporting, and market recognition for pilot project activities

Research to inform policymakers, communities, and businesses on how to invest in CCS technology development and deployment to achieve climate change mitigation objectives

Reforestation

Projects can benefit agriculture, ranching and timber management and provide safety to local communities

Restore native woodlands in hazardous fuel areas

Plant native trees on rangelands other open areas

Benefits

Hazardous fuel reduction to reduce wildfires and their emissions

Biomass energy

Nutrient cycling

Water quality and wildlife habitat benefits

Variety of Landowners

Smelter

Fumes from the copper smelting activities in the early 1900’s killed off thousands of acres of ponderosa pine forest along the Sac. river

Keswick Area

Backbone/Brushfield @ 1,600’: typical of the low elevation west slope

Sierra/Cascades w/ disruption of “natural” fire regime = poor conifer regeneration +

extreme fire hazard

1992 Fountain Fire: 65,000 acres

•Timber companies replanted within 5 years after fire: now 10 to 20 ft. tall conifers & some re-sprouted oaks

• Most “small” non-industrial landowners did not replant: now brush and re-sprouted oaks

1992 Fountain Fire @ 3,000’ elev.

1992 Fountain Fire @ 3,900’ elev

Greenleafmanzanita

Conifers

Planted mid 1990’s

August 1982 Chalk Fire &July 2007 Power FireNE Shasta County

Timely afforestation soon after wildfire would =• Much less cost• Much less soil and site disturbance

Lakey Project Test Planting

September 20, 2008

BLM Oak Woodland – 9 Acres

PG&E Climate Smart Program

Voluntary program for customers to reduce or absorb the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a home's actual energy use

Tax deductible

~ $5/month for typical northern CA home

100% of contributions support projects that capture and absorb GHG emissions

http://www.pge.com/climatesmart/

Costs for Carbon Management Projects

Establishment Costs

– Site preparation

– Buying and Planting Seedlings/Seeds

– Easements

– Validation

Maintenance Costs

Measurement Costs according to Registry Standards

Challenging for small landowners

Carbon alone rarely covers all costs but may supplement existing income sources such as farming, grazing, wood products

Forest Protocol – For Project Registry

Developed by Climate Action Reserve

Three project types (reforestation, conservation management, avoided deforestation)

Working Group and Process Included Broad Stakeholder Participation

Protocol Information -http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/forestry/forestry_protocols/forestry_protocols.htm

Climate Action Reserve - http://www.theclimateregistry.org/

Additional Resources

The Climate Registry - http://www.theclimateregistry.org

The American Carbon Registry - http://www.americancarbonregistry.org/

Voluntary Carbon Standard - http://www.v-c-s.org/

Chicago Climate Exchange - http://www.chicagoclimatex.com/

WSRCD Climate Stewardship Website - http://www.westernshastarcd.org/climate_stewardship.html

Resources for More Information

Local – Global Connection

Future Working together proactively, our region can look forward

to increasing our ability to lessen our areas “carbon footprint” though conservation, land and fuel management, and reforestation projects among others.