Workshopping the new Humboldt Bay Area Plan, the county’s Planning Commission is highlighting the importance of offshore wind energy but leaving industrial port activity open for other uses.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 two workshops on the plan.Consensus on how to address heavy lift marine terminal use was reached at the second workshop, on Aug. 6, after lengthy discussion.Enthusiasm for wind energy has been tempered by a disappointing turn of events.One of the holders of an offshore ocean wind energy development lease – RWE U.S. Offshore – is vacating its Humboldt area lease and others in New York and Louisiana. The global company agreed to a payoff settlement with the Trump administration and will instead pursue U.S. natural gas development.The turnabout was in mind as commissioners discussed language on heavy lift marine terminal use in a port overlay zone, which is a separate, higher-level layer of policy.Facilities supporting oil and gas drilling and offshore mining are prohibited in the overlay plan, as the county is preparing an ordinance banning them.But commissioners said marine terminal use should be open to other businesses besides wind energy.Though Commissioner Jerome Qiriazi agreed, he noted public comment from the previous workshop, where speakers warned against allowing heavy and potentially impactful industrial uses.During the commission’s ensuing discussion, there was reluctance to narrowly focus the heavy lift terminal policy to wind energy.The discussion resumed at last week’s workshop, with the uncertainty of future wind energy development figuring in.Keep Reading
