Northern California Indian Tribes Oppose Calpella Wood Pellet Plant

On January 27, 2020, the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council's Board of Directors adopted a resolution declaring their "unequivocal opposition" to the wood pellet production plant in Calpella, California and "its operation by Forest Energy Corporation, Mendocino Forest Products and any other parties."

The InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council is an incorporated non-profit Tribal environmental organization comprised of ten sovereign, federally-recognized California Indian Tribes with cultural connections to the lands and waters of traditional Sinkyone and neighboring Tribal territories.

Member Tribes of the Sinkyone Council are:

• Cahto Tribe of Laytonville Rancheria
• Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians
• Hopland Band of Pomo Indians
• Pinoleville Pomo Nation
• Potter Valley Tribe
• Redwood Valley Little River Band of Pomo Indians
• Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians
• Round Valley Indian Tribes
• Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians
• Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians

"Emissions from the Calpella wood pellet plant, located within close proximity to the Reservation of Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the facilities of Consolidated Tribal Health Project (CTHP), and the Reservation of Redwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, pose sustained, cumulative and potentially severe health and environmental hazards to the Tribes' residents and to clients of CTHP."

The full resolution is posted below:

Resolution of the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council Opposing Calpella Wood Pellet Plant

WHEREAS, InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council (hereinafter the Council), founded in 1986, is an incorporated non-profit Tribal environmental organization comprised of ten sovereign, federally-recognized California Indian Tribes;

WHEREAS, the Council's Board of Directors is authorized to conduct activities for the benefit of the organization and it's constituent Tribes and Tribal citizens;

WHEREAS, the Council advocates for the sovereignty, recognition, respect, and protection of its constituent Tribes and their Tribal cultural values, including the inherent right and responsibility of Tribes to protect and care for their communities, ways of life, and the lands, airs and waters of their traditional territories;

WHEREAS, the Council and constituent Tribes have serious concerns pertaining to the negative environmental and health impacts from the wood pellet production plant located in Calpella, California, which is owned by Forest Energy Corporation and operated in partnership with Mendocino Forest Products;

WHEREAS, the wood pellet plant produces fuel pellets through a process that emits high concentrations of harmful particulates that negatively impact air and water quality and the health and wellbeing of neighboring populations of humans, animals and plants;

WHEREAS, local residents have complained about the odor, particulate fallout, pulmonary and other effects of the wood pellet plant since its start of operations;

WHEREAS, emissions from the Calpella wood pellet plant, located within close proximity to the Reservation of Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the facilities of Consolidated Tribal Health Project (CTHP), and the Reservation of Redwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, pose sustained, cumulative and potentially severe health and environmental hazards to the Tribes' residents and to clients of CTHP;

WHEREAS, emissions from the Calpella wood pellet plant also pose potential health and environmental hazards to other member Tribes of the Council, and to other Tribes of the region;

WHEREAS, emissions from the Calpella wood pellet plant, within close proximity to the Waldorf School of Mendocino County, the Calpella Elementary School and the Eagle Peak Middle School, pose sustained, cumulative and potentially severe health and environmental hazards to the schools' students and teachers;

WHEREAS, studies show that environmental and health impacts of wood pellet plants are serious and long lasting, and that far from being a sustainable industry, large-scale production of wood pellets results in a variety of longterm and substantial costs to the communities in which they are situated;

AND WHEREAS, the plant's owners and operators, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, and the California Air Resources Board need to provide adequate public discussion and disclosure regarding citizen complaints, investigations, permitting processes, and other vitally important factual information pertaining to the operations and impacts of the wood pellet plant;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Resolution No. 01-27-2020-01 constitutes the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council's unequivocal opposition to the Forest Energy Corporation's wood pellet production plant and its operation by Forest Energy Corporation, Mendocino Forest Products and any other parties, and the Council's support of the Tribes' opposition to the wood pellet plant.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing Resolution No. 01-27-2020-01 was duly adopted on the Twenty-Seventh Day of January 2020 by the Board of Directors of InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council. This further certifies Resolution No. 01-27-2020-01 was adopted by a vote of 5 For; 0 Against; and 2 Abstaining, and that said Resolution has not been rescinded or amended in any way.

[ Signed by Priscilla Hunter, Chairwoman and Martha Knight, Secretary on 1-27-2020 ]

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