An innovative new bioenergy facility being built in the Intermountain area of Eastern Shasta County is getting another governmental financial boost. Construction began in April on the Hat Creek Bioenergy Facility at the site of a former lumber mill on Highway 89 near Burney. When it goes on line next year, the plant will have the capacity to produce 3 Megawatts of electricity by using slash and understory taken from area forests, thereby providing the added benefit of reducing fire danger. The operator, West Biofuels, says it will handle up to 30,000 dry Tons of forest waste annually. That’s enough to fill 171 Olympic sized swimming pools. The electricity will be sold to PG&E. West Biofuels already got a $5 Million state grant to help build the plant. Now they’ve announced another 1.5 Million Dollar grant from the USDA.