Shasta County Carbon
Sequestration Pilot
Projects
Leslie Bryan
Climate Stewardship
Coordinator
Western 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
Greenleaf
manzanita
Timely afforestation soon after wildfire would =
• Much less cost
• Much less soil and site disturbance
August 1982 Chalk Fire &
July 2007 Power Fire
NE Shasta County
September 20, 2008
Lakey Project Test Planting
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

Working Group and Process Included Broad
Stakeholder Participation

Protocol Information http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/forestry/forestry_protocols/fore
stry_protocols.htm
Three project types (reforestation, conservation
management, avoided deforestation)
 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_stewardshi
p.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.