NCSD Permitting & Planning

NCSD Initiates Planning & Permitting For Potential Biomass District Heating System

In order to reduce the threat of wildfire impacts to the community, the District and its constituents extract significant volumes of forest biomass material from forest fuels reduction projects and defensible space activities within the community. Regional outlets for disposal of biomass have been diminishing and those that remain have become more expensive. As a result, fuel reduction projects and defensible space management have also become costlier.

At the regular January Northstar Community Services District Board meeting, the Board of Directors approved a resolution authorizing staff to commence planning and development of a biomass conversion facility. The potential project resulted from analysis conducted in a Biomass Utilization Scoping Study and subsequent Biomass Energy System Feasibility Study with the mission of:

NCSD seeks to improve the economic viability, environmental impact, and overall effectiveness of removing and repurposing forest biomass in order to reduce wildfire risk and restore watershed health. The proposed project entails deconstruction of the District’s old administration facility, construction of a building and site improvements to house two 1MW biomass fed boilers and associated systems, piping and appurtenances connecting to various existing boilers within the Northstar Village including the NPOA Recreation Center. Thermal energy from the system would offset natural gas usage at these facilities by means of a renewable energy source with competitive and stable rates. The project is contingent upon CEQA compliance, Placer County land use permitting including a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), Placer County Air Pollution Control District permit, infrastructure easement dedication, various HOA connected entity agreements and final NCSD Board approval to purchase capital equipment. The District will be conducting outreach to the various community stakeholders through these planning processes.

For specific questions/concerns related to this project, please contact NCSD at 530.562.0747 or customerservice@northstarcsd.

Mike Staudenmayer, NCSD General Manager