Camptonville Community Partnership Advances Vision for Forest Biomass Business Center

Camptonville, CA — September 2025. Camptonville Community Partnership (CCP), a small rural nonprofit dedicated to community resilience and forest health, is proud to announce a major milestone in its long-standing effort to develop a community-scale biomass-to-energy facility and forest products business campus.

Land clearing has begun in preparation for development of the Forest Biomass Business Center in Dobbins. Photo courtesy of Camptonville Community Partnership.

The journey began in 2010 when CCP’s Board of Directors committed to exploring a community scale biomass to energy facility tailored to the needs of the North Yuba region. A 2012 feasibility study confirmed the viability of the project, and in 2017, CCP established the Forest Biomass Business Center (FBBC) to lead development and expand the vision into a full forest products business campus.

The FBBC campus is designed to be a model for community-benefit biomass utilization supporting healthy forest management, fostering local economic opportunity, and helping protect the North Yuba Watershed and surrounding communities from catastrophic wildfires. By transforming forest biomass from the Tahoe and Plumas National Forests into value-added products like renewable energy, FBBC aims to give new life to forest materials while strengthening regional sustainability.

Today, the bioenergy project—FBBC’s anchor tenant—is well underway. With major permitting secured, roads under construction, and a well successfully drilled, the foundation has been set for the next phase: developing the full campus beginning with a comprehensive business plan.

To guide this next step, CCP has been awarded a Sierra Institute Micro Grant to begin developing the business plan outline it is complimentary to a CA Jobs First Catalyst grant award which will support contracting with The Beck Group, a leading forest products consulting firm. Their expertise will be instrumental in shaping a campus that reflects the bold vision and deep community roots of the FBBC initiative.

“We don’t dream small,” said a CCP spokesperson. “This project has always been about more than energy—it’s about creating a resilient future for our forests and our community.”