Shasta County Carbon Sequestration Pilot Projects
Leslie Bryan Climate Stewardship CoordinatorWestern Shasta Resource Conservation District [email protected](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.