{"id":7048,"date":"2022-10-10T18:25:42","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T01:25:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marinrcd.org\/?page_id=7048"},"modified":"2026-04-02T19:51:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T02:51:58","slug":"status","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.marinrcd.org\/programs\/home2\/marinbiomassproject\/status\/","title":{"rendered":"Marin Biomass Project Status"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.marinrcd.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Compost-Pad-Location-scaled.jpg” min_height=”11vw” min_height_tablet=”” min_height_phone=”” min_height_last_edited=”on|phone” height=”10vw” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”82px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”2vw||1vw||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”||0px|0px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Now Available<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Marin Biomass Study<\/strong>: Pathways to Improved Utilization and <\/span>a Regenerative Biomass Economy<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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The Marin Biomass Project offers the first comprehensive study of biomass flows generated in Marin and pathways that can grow a regenerative biomass economy.<\/p>\n

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Executive Summary<\/span><\/h1>\n

Marin County faces a growing challenge. Its steps to improve wildfire safety are contributing flows of biomass into Marin\u2019s economy without ways to make productive use of them. Vegetation management around residences, schools, civic spaces, and places of commerce is increasing flows of biomass like foliage, branches, and trunks of smaller-diameter trees. Vegetation management on Marin\u2019s forested lands is likewise increasing flows of woody biomass. Currently, this biomass is largely being directed into waste management supply chains. Along with biomass from Marin\u2019s cities and towns, a majority of this biomass is being sent to landfills for disposal or transported over one hundred miles to power plants in the Central Valley. These options are\u00a0 expensive, offer little meaningful local benefit, increase Marin\u2019s environmental footprint, and fail to contribute to its long-term resilience.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is an alternative. Marin has the opportunity to develop an economy for its biomass that helps achieve both wildfire safety and State and local goals to divert organic materials from landfill. This economy is focused on creating local, value-added products that make wildfire safety and landfill diversion more cost-effective over time. It prioritizes options that reduce the greenhouse gases driving climate change and our wildfire crisis and that support regeneration of the ecological resources that make Marin special.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Marin Biomass Study<\/span><\/i> offers a roadmap for this new biomass economy. Its findings and recommendations are based on a detailed assessment of Marin\u2019s biomass flows and a detailed evaluation of utilization \u201cpathways\u201d that can put them to productive use. The <\/span>Study<\/span><\/i> identifies the set of pathways that best supports Marin\u2019s needs and goals, and it offers detailed greenhouse gas and economic analyses that demonstrate their individual viability and synergistic potential.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Key Findings<\/span><\/h2>\n