Name of Business: Environmental Forest Solutions.
Nature of Business: Forest Product Recycling & Power Generation
Owner: Steve Hall
Address: 975 So. Water Canyon Rd., Eagar, AZ
Phone: (928) 537-2725
Fax: (928) 537-0395
Email: environmentalforestsolutions@dealmaker.com
Web site: None
Business structure: Corporation
Year business began: 2002
Employees at start up: 10
Employees in 2002: 10
Sales in first year: 0
Sales in 2002: 0
2003 Sales forecast: $1.2 million
Start up capital: $3.5 million
Source of initial capital: investors
Line of credit in 2002: $200,000
SBDC counselor: Mark Engle
Steve Hall has been involved in trucking and forest products most of his
adult life. He operated a biomass boiler for the Apache Tribe in generating
steam for their sawmill in Cibecue, and saw an opportunity to assist local
efforts in reforestation in starting his own biomass power generating station
in Eagar. Steve was successful in receiving grant funds from the U.S. Forest
Service in acquiring a boiler and the necessary equipment. He purchased
the former Stone Container sawmill site in Eagar, which included 138 acres
of land for the business. Steve recently partnered with Pinnacle West, the
parent company of Arizona Public Service, to finish the plant and provide
renewable power, much in demand by the State of Arizona. Steves project
is a major contributor to regional efforts to aid in the harvest and utilization
of small diameter timber, and will contribute to a reduction in fire danger
and an improvement in air quality from less need for controlled burning.
The power plant is in the process of final construction, and expected to start generating power by the end of 2002.
Northland Pioneer College SBDC has assisted Steve in writing successful
grant applications and acquiring a strategic partnership with APS. The SBDC
is a participant in providing service for an incubator project to locate
additional forest products businesses to Steves site in Eagar, and has worked
with Mr. Hall for nearly two years in the process of this project.