Amador County – The Amador County Planning Commission voted 4-1 Tuesday to authorize the permits for the Buena Vista Biomass Power combustion generating plant in Jackson Valley, with approval of its environmental document and a statement overriding any unavoidable impacts.

Commissioners certified the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report in a 5-0 vote earlier in the evening, then discussed merits of the project before the final vote.

Commissioner Andy Byrne dissented, saying: “There are definitely benefits to the project, but there are no benefits to the valley where it will be located.” Impacts discussed included a “humming buzz” that would affect at least three homes near the plant, including two on land owned by the Buena Vista Band of Me-Wuk Indians, across Coal Mine Road.

Mitigations to those home owners include options such as having the applicant build a berm, or a fence; or to diminish interior noise, re-insulate the home, or install double-pane windows.

Commissioner Dave Wardall said the land is zoned industrial, and the project requires no zone change. He said the three homes likely affected by noise had not contacted the county. He also thought the merits of the project – burning trimmings from forest management – “helps clean forest duff,” and the “benefits outweigh the significant environmental issues.”

Chairman Ray Ryan pointed out benefits of a condition of approval emphasizing hiring locally. It included an action plan to be run by county planning staff to recruit locally, emphasizing, in order, seeking workers from Jackson Valley, Amador County and the tri-county area including Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. Ryan said it also helps toward meeting the state goals for a renewable energy project.

Commissioner Ray Lindstrom said “the benefits of the project are stronger than the problems,” and they “have to go forward.”

Ryan said as Ione faces the potential closure of Preston Youth Prison, he thought the project paperwork should note the potential for increased revenue in Ione, though lunch or other sales workers and truckers from the plant.

Commissioner Denise Tober said people say “it’s only 18 jobs, but 18 jobs is 18 jobs,” and it would help to chip away at job losses, and “get us back where we used to be.” Tober said “jobs are desperately needed” in the county, and its use of renewable energy is another overriding condition.

Michael Muson, applicant for the Buena Vista Biomass Power Plant, said he believes “there is ample folks available with good job experience” here to hire locally. He said he wants “to put Amador County people to work,” and has always planned to hire locally at the plant.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.