29.0°

The following editorial first appeared in the Anchorage Daily News:

Alaskans have heard a lot of talk over the years about diversifying the state's economy so we are less dependent on gyrations of the world oil market. One way to do that is to use local resources to meet our needs where possible, instead of importing them from Outside.

One place that can happen is in Southeast Alaska, which has to bring in large amounts of diesel fuel. The region's forests may be able to supply wood for fuel and offset diesel imports.

The Coast Guard is looking into the idea for heating its Southeast Alaska facilities.

It's definitely an idea worth checking out. It could create a local market for a local resource and help create local jobs.

The Coast Guard's project would be similar to what the city of Craig is doing on Prince of Wales Island.

Using $1.6 million of grants and city funds, Craig has installed a wood boiler that supplies heat to the city's aquatic center and two schools.

City Administrator Jon Bolling says the wood heat has saved the city about $50,000 so far, even though the system was "struggling a bit" to handle wood that has been wetter than expected. Drying the wet wood sapped some heat from the system, and limited how much was available to the two schools.

Now using drier wood from its supplier, the boiler is running better. The schools have "not used a drop of diesel" so far this school year, Bolling says, and the city's pool is getting what it needs.

Bolling said the Coast Guard came to town to check out their operation. "It could be a really good thing for them, too."

Switching the Coast Guard to wood heat could be a small dose of good news for the struggling Tongass timber industry. Wood chips for fuel don't have to come from prime old growth, which conservationists are so adamant about protecting. The boiler fuel can come from second growth in logged areas and waste from the region's mills.

In other words, supplying wood for boiler fuel could be a sustainable use of Southeast Alaska's politically controversial forest.

We hope it works out.