Bowie County, Texas Issued BDO Zone ‘AA’ Rating for Woody Biomass

(Biofuel Development Opportunity Zone Initiative) A’ Rating Highlights 800,000 Tons of Low-Risk Woody Biomass and Positions Bowie County for Bio-Based Industrial Investment -- TexAmericas Center, Ecostrat and the BDO Zone Initiative are pleased to announce the issue of a BDO Zone ‘AA’ Rating for Bowie County, Texas. The BDO Zone is rated for 800,000 bone dry tons per year of low-risk woody biomass and spans a 75-mile drive radius from its central point in Texarkana, TX.

Bowie County’s ‘AA’ Rating denotes very high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Bowie County’s sustainably managed timber resource, where annual net growth far outpaces annual removals, has left a substantial surplus of pine pulpwood and thinning material. Anchoring the Zone is the Boone-Copeland Industrial Park, a 140-acre, light-and-heavy-industrial site in Hooks, within the TexAmericas Center. The site is well served on every major utility, with on-site rail access and easy access to US Hwy 82/I-30 and US Hwy 59/I-369, positioning Bowie County as a top-tier location for bio-based industrial development.

Scott Norton, Chief Executive Officer, TexAmericas Center, stated, “This ‘AA’ rating validates something we have long understood about our region: Northeast Texas has the natural resources, infrastructure, workforce and industrial capacity to compete for the next generation of bio-based industries. The strength of our timber resource extends well beyond Bowie County, and when combined with the transportation and industrial assets available across the greater Texarkana region, it creates a compelling platform for new investment, job creation and long-term economic growth.”

Eric Voyles, Executive Vice President and Chief Economic Development Officer, TexAmericas Center, stated, “For companies evaluating biofuels, renewable chemicals, advanced materials and other wood-based manufacturing opportunities, this report converts a perceived resource advantage into a quantified and independently assessed business opportunity. Developers can now see the scale and risk profile of the available feedstock alongside the infrastructure and development capacity at TexAmericas Center. That gives us a powerful tool to move conversations from ‘Could this work here?’ to ‘How do we make the project work here?’”

Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative, stated, “Bowie County is one of the strongest woody biomass BDO Zones we have rated: a large, underutilized surplus backed by real infrastructure. We expect it to accelerate serious conversations with developers evaluating the Gulf South.”

The Biofuel Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone Initiative certifies ‘regional readiness’ for bio-manufacturing, creates global connections and ignites an influx of new energy opportunities for farmers, economic developers, and rural businesses. A BDO Zone rating is an internationally recognized, standards-based technical risk assessment of a region’s feedstock, supply chain, and infrastructure risk with respect to the development potential for new biofuel plants. BDO Zone ratings are site location bullseyes for bio-project development. Investment grade ratings are force-multipliers for attracting new manufacturing plants to the areas where they are most likely to succeed, drive investment and create jobs.

Ecostrat is the North American leader in biomass due diligence for biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas, and bio-product project development and finance. Jordan Solomon is Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative and President of Ecostrat (www.ecostrat.com). He can be reached at jordan.solomon@ecostrat.com.

Located on the Texas side of the Texarkana metropolitan area, TexAmericas Center owns and operates a premier industrial park, which is one of the largest mixed-use industrial parks in the United States. With roughly 12,000 development-ready acres of land and approximately 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial product, TexAmericas Center serves four states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas). As the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) over all development processes on the property, TexAmericas Center helps companies save 12 to 18 months of public review time, leading to faster Speed-To-Occupancy.

For seven consecutive years, Business Facilities magazine has ranked TexAmericas Center among the top 10 industrial parks in the country, most recently ranked No. 5 in 2026. TexAmericas Center has also been named one of America’s Top Sites by Trade & Industry Development, recognizing its readiness, infrastructure, and ability to support complex industrial projects. Tenants appreciate an impressive transportation corridor that uses multiple state highways, interstates, air freight, and rail lines to distribute from a central U.S. location. Additionally, Expansion Solutions has recognized TexAmericas Center’s QSP (Qualified Site Program) as the No. 1 certified site program in the Southern U.S.

Seven rail lines converge on the Texarkana region and TexAmericas Center hosts an on-site 350-car rail yard and has over 30 miles of rail running through its properties. TAC Rail services include transload as well as rail car storage and spotting. TexAmericas Center has also been added to Union Pacific’s Focus Sites Program, becoming one of only 32 sites in the U.S. to receive this prestigious designation.

TexAmericas Center also offers third-party logistics (3PL) services to assist companies with inventory management, warehousing, and fulfillment needs. Combining a “Flex Lease” with 3PL services gives companies seeking to expand or make a first-time investment in the region an easier path to start operations.

The organization completed construction on a 150,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art speculative building in 2021; the building was sold in 2022. In total, the organization has built and transacted over 240,000 sq. ft. in three spec projects. TexAmericas Center has the capability to lease, build-to-suit, or facilitate greenfield owner-constructed projects in a timely, efficient manner.

All of TexAmericas Center’s property is a designated US Opportunity Zone, New Market Tax Credit Census Tract, EB5 – Immigration through Investment area, Foreign Trade Zone (#258), and a Texas Enterprise Zone. TexAmericas Center has the operating capabilities of a municipality but functions like a traditional real estate development company, offering customized real estate, logistics, incentive and financing solutions. For more information about TexAmericas Center, visit TexAmericasCenter.com. READ MORE