In the news: Pellet plants; Oregonians assisting with gulf cleanup

The Bulletin reports that Prineville-based Ochoco Lumber Company started construction on a plant in John Day that will produce fuel for pellet boilers in hospitals, schools, and other commercial and government buildings in the Northwest. The plant is expected to start operating in late October with 11 employees. The facility will process wood chips, sawdust, shavings and ponderosa pine logs that are too small for lumber. Most of the supply will be biomass from the Malheur National Forest. Another pellet plant, Pacific Pellet, opened last month in Redmond.


A Sustainable Business Oregon story features four Oregon companies helping with cleanup efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. The magnitude of the BP spill has overwhelmed the large number of local contractors already prepared for cleanup work in the Gulf, creating a need for additional resources from other regions.

NWFF Environmental, an Oregon firm based in Philomath, made arrangements with the Oregon Employment Department in early May to train and certify unemployed Oregonians to assist with Gulf clean up.BELFOR, Shaw Environemental, and National Response Corporation Environmental Services are the other three organizations involved in the response effort. Each company has an office based in Portland, and headquarters outside the state.