After a debate that focused on security and disability issues, Humboldt County’s Board of Supervisors approved changes to the county’s lighting ordinance in a 3-2 vote.At a July 27 special board meeting, changes to the coastal version of the ordinance were approved and staff was directed to apply the amendments to the inland version, which will go through Planning Commission review.Requested by the state’s Coastal Commission, the coastal version changes add a lighting restriction and apply it broadly.A limit of 2,700 kelvins – a measurement of light “temperature” or color – is applied to the coastal version with the change.The 2,700 kelvin range is considered as warm lighting on the yellow end of the spectrum as opposed to blue.Keep Reading
The Humboldt County Planning Commission is rolling up its sleeves on a considerable chunk of work – the Humboldt Bay Area Plan – and how to handle port terminal uses is an early focus of discussion.The extent of restricting heavy lift marine terminals – which will be necessary for wind energy but could also be used for other industrial purposes – was weighed as the commission held a June 16 workshop on the plan.During a public comment period, Jen Kalt of Humboldt Waterkeeper voiced support for the plan’s disallowance of support facilities for oil and gas drilling in a port overlay zone.The port overlay is a separate, higher-level policy project and at this point it includes facilities for offshore wind energy as well as “other permitted heavy lift port operations.”Waterkeeper is warning against the “other” operations part.“We’re really concerned that closing the door on one really heavy industrial extractive industry that would be devastating to the bay and our coast would just be replaced potentially with another one,” Kalt said.She added the plan can be changed in the future and “there’s really no reason to open the door to this kind of use right now.”Justin Mojonnier of Hog Island Oyster Company asked for “coastal food production overlays” on industrially-zoned land to protect the aquaculture industry.“I urge the county to continue to support sustainable industries like aquaculture instead of chasing large industrialized dreams,” he said.Much of the commissioners’ discussion focused on whether the heavy lift terminal policy should only allow support for wind energy.Some commissioners were reluctant to keep it that narrow.“They used to make ships here, so if they decided to make ships here again, they wouldn’t be able to do it because we took that out,” said Commissioner Peggy O’Neill on the allowance for other uses.Commissioner Noah Levy said the narrow focus is useful to “signal that we don’t want this to be used for a major cargo shipping facility.”But there was pushback on that from Commissioner Todd Fulton. “We’re dying for jobs,” he said. “Yes, it’s a very sensitive bay, I’m with you on that, but I’m not comfortable restraining ourselves from anything done in the future.”After more discussion, commissioners agreed to revisit the policy language later.Another topic under debate is high density housing of more than 30 units per acre.Keep Reading
After nearly 16 years of failed enforcement efforts at a McKinleyville-area ranch, state water regulators are turning to the California Attorney General’s Office to resolve a laundry list of alleged environmental violations impacting Little River near Moonstone Beach.The 226-acre property, owned by the Vern C. McGaughey Trust, has been the subject of dozens of warning letters and violation notices from the California Coastal Commission and the North Coast Water Quality Control Board over unpermitted solid waste disposal, unauthorized grading, inadequately controlled grazing “resulting in widespread fecal waste” and bacterial pollution in Little River, as stated in numerous documents shared with the Outpost.While the state’s concerns largely focus on unpermitted activities within the channel of Little River, local environmental groups worry that bacterial runoff from the property could pose a threat to people recreating downstream on Moonstone Beach.Ken Bareilles, a local attorney representing 88-year-old Vern McGaughey, largely disputes the allegations, though he does admit that his client failed to secure the permits necessary to work in Little River’s channel. Bareilles called concerns of fecal bacteria in Little River “bullshit,” adding, “It’s an ag zone; cows and horses poop everywhere out there.”***Humboldt Waterkeeper and the Surfrider Foundation are among the environmental advocates calling for the Attorney General’s Office to get involved in the case. In a joint letter to the water board, the groups highlight water quality concerns in Little River, as well as potential impacts to endangered salmonid species and people who recreate at Moonstone Beach.“Little River was designated as impaired by pathogens in 2015,” the letter states. “Numerous studies have confirmed high levels of pathogenic bacteria in the river. Since then, numerous violations of local and state regulations designed to protect water quality and aquatic health have been issued to the property owners. It appears that no actions to remedy the violations has been taken, despite the ongoing impacts to public health and safety.”***“We have received complaints from members of the public regarding children experiencing vomiting and diarrhea after playing in Little River; horse and cattle carcasses in the Little River channel; and plastic erosion control fabric covering streambanks and pieces floating downstream,” the letter continues. “We have also fielded numerous calls and emails over the years from people wondering if it’s safe to recreate in Little River and in the surf near the mouth.”Something important to note about Little River is that its condition changes on a week-by-week basis, as detailed in the Little River State Beach Report Card. At the beginning of July, for instance, the beach scored an A+, but this week it’s at a B.Jen Kalt, executive director of the Humboldt Waterkeeper, said conditions on Little River tend to be affected by rainfall.“Every time it rains a significant amount, stormwater pollution carries fecal matter into the river, and the county advises that people stay out of the water for 72 hours after major rain incidents,” Kalt said during a recent phone interview. “Once the fecal bacteria and viruses aren’t in the guts of warm-blooded animals anymore, they start to die off.”“People, a lot of times, freak out when they find out that Little River has this kind of pollution, but it’s a good rule of thumb no matter where you are to be really cautious [after a rainstorm], especially with children, because they are so likely to swallow water,” Kalt continued. “If you have any kind of open wounds on your body, that can be really dangerous for infections, especially for people who are immunocompromised.”Kalt wants to see a true resolution to the issue, not just more threats of punitive action. If the water board decides to forward the case to the Attorney General’s Office, she hopes the state will order the property owner to “fix the damage and stop the continuing abuse” of Little River.The North Coast Water Quality Control Board will discuss McGaughey’s case at its next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 6. The board will meet at the Elk Valley Rancheria (2332 Howland Hill Road) in Crescent City at 9 a.m. Read the full agenda for instructions for remote attendance. Those who wish to speak during the meeting should register in advance.Read More
This Tuesday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors considered a petition from Planning and Building Department staff to address public concerns regarding data centers, detention centers and onshore oil and deep-sea mining facilities. The board considered temporary moratoriums, outright prohibitions and other regulatory frameworks for each type of facility.Ultimately, supervisors instructed staff to return with items that would prohibit onshore support facilities for deep-sea mining and oil operations as well as private detention facilities. The board also instructed staff to return with a temporary moratorium on future data centers, with supervisors citing concerns that an outright ban might be too broad and preclude developments like the Eureka Cable Landing Station in Arcata, a relatively small-scale facility that has been considered a boon to the area’s economy and infrastructure without the serious deleterious effects that many communities have reported experiencing from data centers.The board could not move forward on Tuesday with any “action to disallow, writ large, these uses,” Supervisor Natalie Arroyo clarified. Those prohibitions and the moratorium will return to the board of supervisors in the future.Public inputSeveral speakers addressed the topic of data, detention and onshore sea-mining support facilities (though attendance may have been limited as the topic was in the seventh hour of the supervisors’ meeting).Jennifer Kalt, executive director of Humboldt Waterkeeper, called to thank the board for considering regulations on offshore mining support facilities and urged the board to enact a prohibition. She noted that a renewed appetite for expanded offshore oil leasing off the California coast — as well as known deposits of valuable deep-sea minerals off the Humboldt County coast — made an ordinance particularly necessary and timely.Sabra Steinberg, a “longtime resident of Humboldt County,” spoke on the subject of data centers. She sadi that the Union of Concerned Scientists recently hosted a webinar on the subject and noted that, while there are currently six bills working their way through the state legislature, there are very few regulations currently in place to protect citizens from issues like “24-hour-a-day noise, the commandeering of water … and skyrocketing electricity rates for communities.”Krista Boardman, an Arcata resident who works in Eureka’s visitor center, told the board that she discusses life in Humboldt County with visitors and residents all day; she never hears people discuss an appetite for extractive industry or data and detention centers.“We know why people love Humboldt. We know why we love Humboldt,” Boardman said. “… I ask that the board pursue a temporary moratorium and prohibit detention facilities, data centers, offshore and deep-sea mining in order to reassure our community, protect our environment, create a blueprint for other communities and to create a legacy that we can be proud of.”McKinleyville resident Jeff Dunk said, “I think it’s a good idea to, as the previous speaker said, be proactive on some of these things. You don’t want to install a seat belt when you’re in the middle of a car crash. It’s too late, and with some of these things, it is too late for other communities.”Keep Reading
Caltrans’ emergency effort to stabilize the southbound Eureka Slough Bridge drew scrutiny last week as the California Coastal Commission reviewed the agency’s request for additional emergency authorization and heard concerns about wildlife disturbance near the construction zone.Shana Gray, North Coast District Deputy Director, reported to the Coastal Commission that deteriorated piles discovered during an April inspection prompted immediate safety measures, including shifting southbound Highway 101 traffic, installing monitoring devices, and beginning construction of a temporary work trestle spanning the slough.“The situation is active and still evolving,” Gray said. “Caltrans is in active communication with the National Marine Fisheries Service and Commission staff on these protective measures for seals, including the need for additional avoidance and minimization measures. Staff are working closely with Caltrans on this emergency situation, and we plan to report any further emergency actions to the Commission and the public.”In‑water work and pile driving began on July 7 after Caltrans declared the need for significant structural repairs, including repairs to compromised footings. A second emergency permit has not yet been authorized, and staff said they are still evaluating whether the proposed work is the minimum necessary to address the hazard.Environmental groups urged the commission to strengthen monitoring requirements for harbor seals that haul out near the mouth of the slough. Jennifer Savage of the Surfrider Foundation raised concerns about potential negative impacts on seals and other wildlife in the construction area.“We understand the emergency that there are deteriorated bridge piles requiring immediate safety action, but we do share the concerns that Humboldt Waterkeeper raised. I live a few miles from this bridge. I kayak near that slough. I walk my dog on the adjacent trail, so I know the area really well,” said Savage. “I appreciate staff’s update on the plans, as was just reported. I still want to highlight that two harbor seal haulouts sit within one kilometer of the work site in the Eureka Slough.”Savage shared recent pictures of the seals sitting on the shore of the slough and noted the work coincides with the molting period, when seals rely heavily on undisturbed haulouts.“The pile driving, the core drilling, the heavy machinery — it all generates acoustic and seismic disturbance that travels quickly underwater,” she said. And this work coincides with the start of the harbor seals’ molting period, when sight-faithful animals most depend on undisturbed haulout time.”Jen Kalt of Humboldt Waterkeeper raised concerns about repeated water flushes, which can increase stress and the risk of infection.“We understand the emergency nature of this situation; it’s been very concerning because the harbor seals, as we mentioned in our public comments, are in the very sensitive molting period, where if they get disturbed, they need to go back into the water continuously or frequently, more frequently than they should, which risks infection,” said Kalt. “The draft environmental impact report for this project, the actual bridge replacement project, includes a marine mammal protection plan and hydroacoustic monitoring plan to prevent level B harassment, which is changes in behavior. Caltrans seems to rely on seals moving to unaffected, suitable habitat in the bay, which, in itself, is level B harassment. So, just expecting the seals to relocate to get away from the noise — that is harassment and is really concerning.”Kalt mentioned pile driving has already begun under an emergency permit the Coastal Commission has not yet reviewed, and urged commissioners to closely examine Caltrans’ hydroacoustic and marine mammal protection plans to ensure impacts to nearby harbor seal haulouts are minimized.Cal Poly Humboldt Marine Biologist Dawn Goley urged the commission to require detailed hydroacoustic monitoring and real‑time reporting.“Harbor seals have high site fidelity and are among the most sensitive marine mammals to human disturbance,” said Goley. “They can’t simply relocate to another haulout because those sites are already occupied.”Goley questioned whether Caltrans has provided the required hydroacoustic monitoring plan to federal regulators and asked how the plan addresses marine mammals’ sensitivities to sound. The speaker said real‑time monitoring, clear reporting protocols and sound‑attenuation systems are critical as construction continues under an emergency permit.“These questions need to be urgently addressed to avoid disturbance and potential abandonment of important habitat for federally protected marine mammals,” said Goley.Caltrans spokesperson Myles Cochrane said trestle construction is underway along Highway 101 near Target to give contractor Myers and Sons access to stabilize one of the southbound bridge’s piers. The work, which includes installing new steel piling, is expected to continue through October. He said the agency is balancing structural repairs with environmental protections, noting that crews are maintaining traffic flow while conducting hydroacoustic monitoring, marine mammal surveys, and enforcing shutdown zones during in‑water pile work.“One of the main challenges in all this is keeping this work going in a sensitive environment while maintaining traffic flow along the busiest stretch of state highway in Humboldt County,” said Cochrane. “During in-water pile work, Caltrans is conducting hydroacoustic and marine mammal monitoring and maintaining a shutdown zone to minimize potential disturbance to harbor seals and other marine mammals.”Cochrane said the bridge remains open and safe for travel, with southbound lanes shifted slightly to accommodate construction.“Crews are doing a great job keeping traffic moving as the lanes on the southbound bridge are shifted over a bit. 101 in Eureka is open and safe for travel,” said Cochrane. “We appreciate the public’s patience and encourage drivers to slow down, stay alert, and cruise safely through the cone zone while this job goes on.”A segment of the Eureka Waterfront Trail beneath the bridge remains closed through mid‑October due to trestle construction. Commission staff said they will report back at the next hearing once the full scope of emergency work is understood.Read Original Article
