Mono County awarded CSAC Challenge Merit Award for Biomass Boiler project

Each year, the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) honors the most innovative programs developed and implemented by California Counties through Challenge Awards. These unique awards recognize the innovative and creative spirit of California county governments as they find effective and cost-saving ways to provide programs and services to their citizens.

This year, CSAC received a record number of entries (288). An independent panel of judges with expertise in county programs selected the award recipients, and Mono County’s Thermal Biomass Boiler Project is being honored with a Merit Award.

The thermal biomass boiler replaced an aged and inefficient propane boiler in the Bridgeport County Road Shop with a new, state-of-the-art, 751,000 but/hour thermal biomass system, which is the first of its kind in California (see attached description). The project was a true collaborative effort between Public Works, Community Development, and Finance, and has received visits and recognition by state legislative representatives. The following County staff and officials were integral to the success of this project:

• Joe Blanchard
• Tony Iniguez
• Supervisor Larry Johnston
• Dave Campbell
• Walt Lehmann
• Former Supervisor Byng Hunt
• Mary Clark
• Megan Mahaffey
• Jason Davenport
• Tom Music
• Tony Dublino
• Don Nunn
• Eric Eilts
• Elliot Ross
• Claude Fiddler
• Paul Roten
• Jesse Hale
• Wendy Sugimura
• John Hauter
• Bill Van Kampen

The County would also like to recognize the Eastside Biomass Project Team, originally convened by Supervisor Larry Johnston and former Supervisor Byng Hunt, for their hard work shepherding the biomass feasibility study. The Team consisted of representatives from Mono County, the U.S. Forest Service and BLM, Town of Mammoth Lakes, Southern California Edison, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, G.C. Forest Products, Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control district. The consultant on the feasibility study, TSS Consultants, also deserves recognition for their excellent work and technical assistance.

In addition, the County deeply appreciates grant funding from the State Department of Conservation and Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District for the feasibility study, and the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for project construction. This project would not have been possible without those generous funding awards.