Humboldt Bay is leaving the past behind and moving into the future.Last week, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District’s Board of Commissioners made decisions that signaled it would not support the transportation of coal through the harbor, but was prepared to welcome renewable energy.Jennifer Kalt, director of nonprofit Humboldt Baykeeper, said it was ironic the two items were on the same agenda but signaled the district is transitioning “from the 19th century to the 21st century.”“All I can say is full steam ahead,” Kalt said.The harbor district commissioners made the decision at its March 10 meeting to accept a $10.5 million grant to begin the preparatory work needed to transform the Samoa peninsula into a hub for offshore wind development. The commissioners also approved an ordinance to prohibit coal on any harbor-owned or -leased property.“Coal is dead, baby,” 5th Division Commissioner Patrick Higgins said. “Leave it in the ground.”The decision to prohibit coal on property owned or leased by the harbor district comes on the heels of decisions by other local jurisdictions to do the same because of a potential project that would attempt to transport coal by train through the area.Read More
