The proposed construction of what was to be North America’s largest biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More co-generation facility in Port Angeles appears to have stalled. The project, led by Myno Carbon Corporation in collaboration with Hermann Brothers Logging, was announced to the public in May a year prior to this report. The facility was intended to superheat timber byproducts to create a carbon-rich soil conditioner for agricultural use, with an operational date projected for early 2027.

The trajectory of the project, however, has been shaped by its funding source. It was reportedly dependent on a $20.4 million grant awarded by the USDA in October 2024 as part of the Biden administration’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program. The status of this grant, and subsequently the project, became uncertain in April of this year when the Trump administration’s USDA announced the cancellation of the entire $3 billion program. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated that the PCSC had “sky-high administration fees which in many instances provided less than half of the federal funding directly to farmers.” The USDA’s decision was framed as a reprioritization towards a new initiative, the Advancing Markets for Producers program.

In a recent development, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction, ordering the USDA to reinstate grants for specific farmers and community groups. This was a result of a lawsuit filed by Earthjustice and other farm advocacy groups who argued that the USDA’s cancellation lacked a legal basis. The outcome of the legal challenge and its specific impact on the Myno Carbon project remains uncertain, with the article’s author claiming to have made repeated attempts to contact the company’s CEO for an update to no avail.

SOURCE: What happened to the planned biochar facility, largest in North America, that was to be built in Port Angeles?