TAHOE CITY, Calif. — The Placer County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to create the North Tahoe Truckee Biomass Task Force that will look into establishing a facility in North Lake Tahoe, said a news release.

A major goal of the task force is the establishment of biomass facilities which can create renewable energy or heat by converting wood scraps left over from forest clearing and defensible space efforts.

Other task force goals include completing an integrated infrastructure and fuel supply study, understanding the current biomass fuel availability and its long-term sustainability; as well as analyze the effectiveness of biomass for renewable energy and heating, centralizing biomass processing, reducing biomass disposal costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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“It is absolutely clear that there is a massive need for a biomass facility in North Lake Tahoe,” said Placer County Board Chair and District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. “I am excited to see all of our North Lake Tahoe local governments and the Community Foundation working together to find solutions.”

The task force consists of Placer and Nevada counties, the Town of Truckee, NorthStar Community Service District and the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation.

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“A biomass facility is very much needed in our region,” said Placer County District 3 Supervisor Jim Holmes. “The only way we are going to achieve that is with regional collaboration. I am very pleased to see this moving forward.”

The news release said that currently the lack of biomass outlets has continued to drive up the cost of disposal and is pushing some programs to leave biomass material on the forest floors increasing fuel loading for future wildfires.In March, the Board of Supervisors authorized a feasibility evaluation for the Cabin Creek biomass facility in North Lake Tahoe.