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El Dorado County, California
The El Dorado County, California BDO Zone for Woody Biomass is rated ‘A’.
Rating Issue Date: August 19, 2025.
'A' ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.
BDO Zone RatingA
Rating
A
Certified supply
212,000 gt/yr
Feedstock
Forest residuals, Pulpwood
Rated
Aug 2025
El Dorado County, CA holds an investment-grade BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for Forest residuals, Pulpwood. Issued in Aug 2025, the rating certifies approximately 212,000 gt/yr of reliable, low-risk biomass feedstock available within a Maximum transport distance is based on a 75-mi driving distance from the center point (Camino, CA)..
A ‘A’ rating is an investment grade rating, signalling a reliable, low-risk feedstock supply. It signals to developers, lenders, and investors that El Dorado County, CA’s feedstock supply has undergone rigorous, standardized due diligence across 100+ risk indicators, the same framework applied to every BDO Zone across North America.
Every BDO Zone Rating assesses a region across three dimensions, mapped as expanding radii around a candidate site.
- Feedstock surplus: Data indicating at least 50,000 tonnes per year of excess feedstock available to support typical intake of new biofuels manufacturing plants.
- Supply chain strength: Evidence supporting long-term commitment to supply both quantity and quality by local farmers, forestry companies, food waste generators, haulers and municipalities.
- Sound infrastructure: Suitable transportation, logistic, operating and supporting infrastructure to meet the requirements for new facility operations.
BDO Zone, 25 mi
Supply Zone, 75 mi
Competition Zone, 150 mi
Assets & liabilities
Assets
- A strong vision to develop a community bioeconomy to utilize biomass from regional forest restoration and fire remediation activities.
- Little to no competition for surplus Pulpwood and Forest Residues in the BDO Zone.
- Extensive local experience implementing forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction programs.
- Logging, grinding, and transportation equipment capacity able to sustain the rated biomass quantities.
- Established infrastructure for a potential biomass project development at a former sawmill site.
Liabilities
- Biomass quality and quantity fluctuations arising from forest restoration, salvage, and wildfire mitigation activities.
- Road infrastructure challenges, especially in National Forests and steep terrains.
- Strong dependency of nontimber forestry objectives, such as wildfire mitigation and ecological restoration, on government subsidies.
Infrastructure & sites
Camino Industrial Site (Former SPI Sawmill)
- Location: 3955 Carson Rd., Camino, CA; 0.5 miles from US-50, ~54 miles to Sacramento
- Site Size: 177 acres of industrial-zoned land (M Industrial)
- Availability: Vacant land; no existing structures
- Overview: Former Sierra Pacific Industries sawmill site with graded, partially paved terrain and utility access
- Electric: PG&E - limited service; 3-phase requires substation upgrade (adjacent substation present)
- Natural Gas: Propane (multiple suppliers)
- Water: El Dorado Irrigation District - 12" line (~1M GPD capacity)
- Wastewater: Onsite septic
- Fiber: Xfinity (Comcast) + fiber/cable providers
- Transportation: Highway 50 (0.5 mi), I-80 (25 mi), no rail access (nearest ~50 mi, Sacramento), Placerville Airport (19 mi), Sacramento International (54 mi)
- Site Contacts: Greg Stanton (530-621-5159, greg.stanton@edcgov.us), Tara Stout (530-621-5401, tara.stout@edcgov.us)
- Status: Presently understood to be unavailable for active development, but SPI open to reconsideration with strong proposal
Former Vita Bark Plant Site
- Location: 5960 South Shingle Rd., Shingle Springs, CA; ~3.5 miles from US-50, ~35 miles to Sacramento
- Site Size: 32.5 acres (2 parcels: 26.3 + 6.2 acres), industrial-zoned
- Availability: Vacant land with existing pads from former processing facility
- Overview: Former wood processing site with rail-served history; multiple prepared building areas
- Electric: PG&E - 3-phase power surrounding site
- Water: EID - limited service (6" mains); supplemental on-site artesian well + proposed 1M gallon pond
- Wastewater: No sewer; onsite septic feasible (multiple approved locations)
- Natural Gas: Propane (multiple suppliers)
- Rail: Historic rail spur access on site
- Development: Existing building pads at ~1130 ft elevation, gravity-fed water system (~30 psi), minimal tree clearing constraints
- Environmental: Former industrial use; environmental remediation completed (no remaining contaminants)
- Site Contacts: Greg Stanton (530-621-5159, greg.stanton@edcgov.us), Tara Stout (530-621-5401, tara.stout@edcgov.us)
Local grants & incentives
- El Dorado County Economic Development Incentives
- CA Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
- California I-Bank (Industrial Development Bonds, Small Business Loan Guarantees, Tax-exempt Financing)
- CA I-Bank Climate Catalyst Program
- California Competes Tax Credit
- Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
- Sales Tax Exemption (CDTFA)
- Sales and Use Tax Exclusion (STE) Program (CAEATFA)
- Employment Training Panel (ETP)
- Economic Development Rate Program (GO-Biz)
- Business Investment Services (CalBIS)
- Export Support STEP Grant
Contacts
BDO Zone Initiative
El Dorado County Local Development Leaders
BDO ZoneCONNECT Webinar
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