Blue Mountain Lumber Products (BMLP) is the only family-owned, integrated forest products business remaining in Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington. Dodge Logging, which owns BMLP, has a small amount of timberland, runs at least two logging sites, and manufactures chips at Boardman Chip Co., and random-length dimension lumber, pellets and pallets at BMLP in Pendleton, Oregon. BMLP relies heavily on Forest Service timber sales for its log supply (about 80%). Part of BMLP’s secret to survival is its ability to utilize biomass and non-sawlogs from its logging operations, and adapt to market price changes by putting more emphasis on alternative products lines (e.g. utilizing more non-sawlogs for pellet mill raw material when paper chip prices are low, and vice versa). A bottleneck exists though, in the raw material drying operation for its pellet mill. The proposed project will increase drying capacity for its wood pelleting operation by engineering and installing a larger fan and cyclone dust collection equipment. The project will allow BMLP to approximately double its use of forest restoration residuals from about 24,000 green tons (GT) to 48,000 GT, which will help treat an additional 1,900 ac per year. At least 2 full-time direct jobs will also be added.
Statement of Need: Additional financially feasible markets are needed for non-sawlog material and culls removed for forest restoration
Goal: Increase BMLP’s ability to use non-sawlog and cull logs from forest restoration and fuels reduction projects by increasing raw material drying capacity at its wood pellet mill.
Objective: Design, engineer and install a larger fan and cyclone dust collection system to increase drying capacity from 1.5 tons per hour (TPH) to 2.5 TPH.
Wood Innovations Program Intent and Goals:Proposed project will utilize approximately 24,000 GT of non-sawlog and cull material from primarily forest restoration and fuels reduction projects on Forest Service lands, and increase “treated” acres. This will reduce stems/ac and improve forest health, reduce hazardous fuels and associated costs of piling and burning, support wood pellet energy markets, and provide markets for thinnings and other non-sawlog material on an additional approximately 1,900 ac per year. It will also create two full-time jobs in a rural, depressed area and, by strengthening the economics of the current business, help retain up to 110-120 jobs.
biomass, Pendleton, OR, Oregon, blue mountain, eastern oregon, dodge logging
