Winter is a good time to reflect on the past year, which marked our 19th anniversary! Thanks to all of you who have already renewed your membership or are sustaining members! If you haven't already, please consider making a donation - we rely on your annual donations to provide much-needed funds to fight pollution, watchdog development, and get people on the water to enjoy Humboldt Bay. Photo: Butcher Slough at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary was once lined with lumber and plywood mills that left a legacy of dioxins, metals, and other contaminants. Thanks to City of Arcata staff and a grant from U.S. EPA, this high-priority site is finally slated for cleanup.McNamara & Peepe Dioxin ContaminationThis year also marks a name change to Humboldt Waterkeeper to better reflect the work we’ve been doing for years. Humboldt Bay is still our top priority, but we are also committed to protecting water quality for fishing, swimming, and drinking in the Mad, Eel, and Little Rivers, Big Lagoon, and coastal waters. In Mad River, we’ve been working with the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District since 2018 to ensure a full cleanup of the former McNamara & Peepe Lumber Mill just 1.1 mile upriver from drinking water supply intakes for two-thirds of County residents. This year, U.S. EPA staff joined the team of regulators led by the Department of Toxic Substance Control, which is working on a new cleanup plan to prevent dioxins from reaching the river. We hope that plan will be released for public review and comment in the coming year.Loophole Favoring Offshore Oil Drilling ClosedIn September, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 704, which closed a 1970s-era loophole in the Coastal Act that allowed offshore oil and gas drilling support facilities – including refineries, pipelines, and LNG terminals – on more than 1,000 acres around Humboldt Bay without the coastal protections required for other developments. The bill also added offshore wind energy support facilities to the list of allowed uses of Coastal Dependent Industrial lands. Thanks to Senator McGuire, Assemblymember Wood, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors for their support, and all of our members who called and wrote emails, it will now be much more difficult for oil and gas developers to build these facilities on the California coast!Will the Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Terminal be a ‘Green’ Port?In June, the Harbor District invited comments on potential impacts from the proposed Heavy Lift Terminal on 180 acres of bay shoreline on the Samoa Peninsula that would serve as the assembly site for floating wind turbines to be anchored 20 to 30 miles offshore.Labor unions, Peninsula residents, and others have joined environmental groups’ call for a ‘green’ port. It is imperative that the Heavy Lift Terminal is designed from the start to be as electrified as possible to avoid the devastating air and water pollution that plague most port communities (see Responsible Offshore Wind Development Starts at the Port – Lost Coast Outpost).Although a Zero Emission strategy has not yet been adopted, the Harbor District seems receptive to the concept. Congressman Huffman recently announced an $8.6 million grant for the Harbor District to fund studies, create a bay-wide master plan for offshore wind development, and prepare a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Plan, as required by the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative.There is broad support for offshore wind energy, so long as it is done as responsibly as possible with the least impacts to the environment and port-side communities. The good news is that there is time to ensure this is done thoughtfully rather than repeating the mistakes of the past. Even so, the terminal will bring massive changes to Humboldt Bay and the Peninsula. We will continue to watchdog this project to ensure protections for the Humboldt Bay environment and communities, the oyster industry, and the fishing fleet as we take action to lower greenhouse gas emissions to slow climate change.Nordic AquafarmsAnother large proposal we’ve been working hard to improve for years is the land-based aquaculture facility proposed at the former pulp mill in Samoa. Nordic Aquafarms recently announced it would raise Yellowtail Kingfish, a warm-water species known as hamachi, rather than Atlantic Salmon. This switch means the project will be smaller, with less water and energy consumption, less ocean discharge than originally proposed, and without the need to relocate existing businesses. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife approved Nordic’s aquaculture permit in July, since the risks to native salmon from importing salmon eggs that could introduce diseases are not a concern with this species.The Regional Water Board recently approved the company’s ocean discharge permit with several major improvements to protect water quality. The Coastal Commission recently approved the permit along with ocean monitoring requirements that we’ve been demanding for years. This includes annual monitoring for toxic algae levels in Spring and Summer. Permits for the bay intakes are still pending. The demolition of the pulp mill smokestack, boiler building, and chemical tanks will be the first step, once the remaining permits are approved.Butcher Slough CleanupIn October, the City of Arcata applied for State funding for a plan to engage the community around cleanup options for continuing to protect public and environmental health along Butcher Slough at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. This site has been a high priority since 2007, when we tested clams from the slough for dioxins left by the various lumber and plywood mills that once lined the slough. The US EPA recently found dioxins, heavy metals, and other contaminants in and along the slough channel, which the City restored in the late 1980s – just as pentachlorophenol was eliminated from lumber mills because of its dioxin content. We worked with the City to obtain a US EPA grant to test the site for contamination, and will continue to support the City’s efforts to remediate the site. We are deeply grateful for the City’s leadership in addressing this legacy contamination, which has been impacting Humboldt Bay for decades.To stay informed about these and other projects affecting Humboldt Bay and other local waterways, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Winter is a good time to reflect on the past year, which marked our 19th anniversary! Thanks to all of you who have already renewed your membership or are sustaining members! If you haven't already, please consider making a donation - we rely on your annual donations to provide much-needed funds to fight pollution, watchdog development, and get people on the water to enjoy Humboldt Bay. Photo: Butcher Slough at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary was once lined with lumber and plywood mills that left a legacy of dioxins, metals, and other contaminants. Thanks to City of Arcata staff and a grant from U.S. EPA, this high-priority site is finally slated for cleanup.McNamara & Peepe Dioxin ContaminationThis year also marks a name change to Humboldt Waterkeeper to better reflect the work we’ve been doing for years. Humboldt Bay is still our top priority, but we are also committed to protecting water quality for fishing, swimming, and drinking in the Mad, Eel, and Little Rivers, Big Lagoon, and coastal waters. In Mad River, we’ve been working with the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District since 2018 to ensure a full cleanup of the former McNamara & Peepe Lumber Mill just 1.1 mile upriver from drinking water supply intakes for two-thirds of County residents. This year, U.S. EPA staff joined the team of regulators led by the Department of Toxic Substance Control, which is working on a new cleanup plan to prevent dioxins from reaching the river. We hope that plan will be released for public review and comment in the coming year.Loophole Favoring Offshore Oil Drilling ClosedIn September, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 704, which closed a 1970s-era loophole in the Coastal Act that allowed offshore oil and gas drilling support facilities – including refineries, pipelines, and LNG terminals – on more than 1,000 acres around Humboldt Bay without the coastal protections required for other developments. The bill also added offshore wind energy support facilities to the list of allowed uses of Coastal Dependent Industrial lands. Thanks to Senator McGuire, Assemblymember Wood, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors for their support, and all of our members who called and wrote emails, it will now be much more difficult for oil and gas developers to build these facilities on the California coast!Will the Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Terminal be a ‘Green’ Port?In June, the Harbor District invited comments on potential impacts from the proposed Heavy Lift Terminal on 180 acres of bay shoreline on the Samoa Peninsula that would serve as the assembly site for floating wind turbines to be anchored 20 to 30 miles offshore.Labor unions, Peninsula residents, and others have joined environmental groups’ call for a ‘green’ port. It is imperative that the Heavy Lift Terminal is designed from the start to be as electrified as possible to avoid the devastating air and water pollution that plague most port communities (see Responsible Offshore Wind Development Starts at the Port – Lost Coast Outpost).Although a Zero Emission strategy has not yet been adopted, the Harbor District seems receptive to the concept. Congressman Huffman recently announced an $8.6 million grant for the Harbor District to fund studies, create a bay-wide master plan for offshore wind development, and prepare a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Plan, as required by the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative.There is broad support for offshore wind energy, so long as it is done as responsibly as possible with the least impacts to the environment and port-side communities. The good news is that there is time to ensure this is done thoughtfully rather than repeating the mistakes of the past. Even so, the terminal will bring massive changes to Humboldt Bay and the Peninsula. We will continue to watchdog this project to ensure protections for the Humboldt Bay environment and communities, the oyster industry, and the fishing fleet as we take action to lower greenhouse gas emissions to slow climate change.Nordic AquafarmsAnother large proposal we’ve been working hard to improve for years is the land-based aquaculture facility proposed at the former pulp mill in Samoa. Nordic Aquafarms recently announced it would raise Yellowtail Kingfish, a warm-water species known as hamachi, rather than Atlantic Salmon. This switch means the project will be smaller, with less water and energy consumption, less ocean discharge than originally proposed, and without the need to relocate existing businesses. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife approved Nordic’s aquaculture permit in July, since the risks to native salmon from importing salmon eggs that could introduce diseases are not a concern with this species.The Regional Water Board recently approved the company’s ocean discharge permit with several major improvements to protect water quality. The Coastal Commission recently approved the permit along with ocean monitoring requirements that we’ve been demanding for years. This includes annual monitoring for toxic algae levels in Spring and Summer. Permits for the bay intakes are still pending. The demolition of the pulp mill smokestack, boiler building, and chemical tanks will be the first step, once the remaining permits are approved.Butcher Slough CleanupIn October, the City of Arcata applied for State funding for a plan to engage the community around cleanup options for continuing to protect public and environmental health along Butcher Slough at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. This site has been a high priority since 2007, when we tested clams from the slough for dioxins left by the various lumber and plywood mills that once lined the slough. The US EPA recently found dioxins, heavy metals, and other contaminants in and along the slough channel, which the City restored in the late 1980s – just as pentachlorophenol was eliminated from lumber mills because of its dioxin content. We worked with the City to obtain a US EPA grant to test the site for contamination, and will continue to support the City’s efforts to remediate the site. We are deeply grateful for the City’s leadership in addressing this legacy contamination, which has been impacting Humboldt Bay for decades.To stay informed about these and other projects affecting Humboldt Bay and other local waterways, email us at 
