Lewis County, Washington
The Lewis County, Washington BDO Zone for Woody Biomass is rated ‘AA’.
Rating Issue Date: December 20, 2023.
'AA' ratings denote very high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and very low expectations of default risk in the Zone. They indicate very strong ongoing capacity of the region to support new biobased plant operations. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
Lewis County, WA holds an investment-grade BDO Zone ‘AA’ Rating for Forest residuals, Sawmill residuals, Pulpwood. Issued in Dec 2023, the rating certifies approximately 1,200,000 gt/yr of reliable, low-risk biomass feedstock available within a 75-mile driving distance from the center point (Centralia, WA).
A ‘AA’ rating is a high investment grade, signalling an abundant, low-risk feedstock supply. It signals to developers, lenders, and investors that Lewis County, WA’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.
Assets & liabilities
- 600,000 bdt/yr available at low risk
- At least ten companies with dedicated pulpwood chipping capacity
- A leading regional forest industry in North America, with sustainability guarantees and stable lumber markets
- Considerable forest residue supply chain experience and capability
- Industrial infrastructure compatible with large-scale bio-projects
- Transportation costs on the US west coast are the highest in the country and can impose limitations on feedstock availability
- Despite historical decline in the pulp and paper industry, five pulp mills remain operational within the competition zone
Infrastructure & sites
- Power- Lewis County PUD
- Water- City of Chehalis
- Sewer- City of Chehalis
- Natural Gas- Puget Sound Energy
- Power- Lewis County PUD
- Water- City of Chehalis
- Sewer- City of Chehalis
- Natural Gas- Puget Sound Energy
- Utilities- City of Centralia
Local grants & incentives
- Washington State incentives
- Two dedicated Opportunity Zones placed within two areas of Lewis County
Contacts
