As a 20-year Manila resident and a member of the Peninsula Community Collaborative (PCC), I feel the winds of change blowing and am paying close attention to the offshore wind projects slated to come to Humboldt Bay.Humboldt Bay and its offshore waters are becoming an integral part in the reduction of our reliance on fossil fuels. Currently, our harbor district is in negotiations with Crowley, a logistics and maritime service company based out of Jacksonville, Florida, to develop land in Samoa into a marine terminal. This port will be an industrial manufacturing plant that builds and ships out various components of offshore wind turbines. Wind components will eventually be shipped out to wind energy farms off of Humboldt shores and throughout the coasts of California and Oregon.Living on the peninsula means living within the most amazing ocean, bay and dune ecosystems. I am lucky enough to walk directly to the beach and sometimes not see another person for hours. It is beautiful, peaceful, accessible, and unique. Other folks fish, surf, kayak, and otherwise enjoy these public spaces. As a lifelong environmentalist, I support the transition to renewable energy sources, but I also believe it is so important to keep this landscape and community safe during development.While developing a port in beautiful Humboldt Bay, it is essential and appropriate to expect commitments from the developers that stand to profit from the new industry. Even the most “green” companies have the potential to cause harm and exploit the people, land, and resources of a community. Now is the time to lay out expectations of how we want Crowley to integrate into the Humboldt region. While I do not expect them to resolve all the historic challenges of our community, I expect them to participate immediately in the ongoing efforts to address needed improvements, as well as mitigate potential harms from the construction and functions of the port.Keep reading
