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Major Container Port Proposed at Humboldt Bay

http://www.wildcalifornia.org/pages/page-289

Comments needed on proposed Redwood Marine Terminal by Thursday, August 28, 2008.

EPIC wants to encourage more community engagement with proposals todevelop Humboldt Bay as a major industrial port. Check out http://wildcalifornia.org for more details.

A group promoting the in the proposed Redwood Marine Terminal project,calling itself the “Rail and Port Infrastructure Taskforce” (RAPIT) has put together a one-sided "forum” to push for unsustainable development of Humboldt Bay. The RAPIT forum will be held tonight August 20 at 5:30 at the Wharfinger in Eureka. The Redwood Marine Terminal business plan being considered by the Humboldt Bay Harbor District would create a new industrial container shipping facility, subsidize the defunct Northwest Pacific Railroad and build massive infrastructure for broader industrial development of Humboldt Bay. The time is now to get involved! Even if you can’t make tonight’s forum, please write even brief comment on the draft Redwood Marine Terminal business plan. The Humboldt Bay Harbor District will accept comments on the proposed development, including acontroversial proposal to lease the harbor and railroad as a single entity through investment bankers Goldman Sachs, through Thursday, August 28. We need to let the District know that we cannot sustain our unique localcommunity by turning Humboldt Bay over to heavy industry, bringing in hugecontainer ships, and resuming polluting freight-only rail service in our bio-region.The business plan and feasibility study can be viewed at http://www.wildcalifornia.org/cgi-files/0/pdfs/1219248865_Redwood_Terminal_Business_Plan.pdf

To submit your comments call 443-0801, email ptyson@portofhumboldtbay.org or mail them to the Humboldt Bay Harbor,Recreation and Conservation District at 601 Startare Drive, Eureka, CA95501.Your voice counts! Tell them you DO NOT support the Redwood Marine Terminal Project. Our bay need not support industrial corporate development to a few special interests for Humboldt County to thrive.

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Humboldt Bay Eco-News

7-12-07 news from www.humboldtbaykeeper.org

Humboldt Bay Corridor – Trail? Trains? Traffic? Speak Out Now!

Are we ever going to be able to safely walk, pedal, or picnic along the Humboldt Bay Trail? The answer depends on a constellation of decisions now under discussion in our community. Will we dredge the Bay to bring in giant container ships and rebuild the costly railroad – build a hill at Indianola to save 66 seconds of travel time from Arcata to Eureka – or increase access to the Bay and encourage alternative transportation with a Humboldt Bay Trail?

Humboldt Baykeeper Director Pete Nichols spoke out about port and railway development with the "Letter of the Week" in last week’s Arcata Eye. You can voice your support for the Humboldt Bay Trail and Humboldt Bay protection in a number of ways:

Letters to the Editor: North Coast Journal cover story (July 5, 2007)
Check out Hank Sims' article, "The Squeeze," in last week's Journal and write a letter to the editor of any local paper about your feelings on the Humboldt Bay Trail/101 Corridor, and what you’d like to see there.

Caltrans Highway 101 Project Public Meeting: Tuesday, August 7 at 5pm, Adorni Center, Eureka
Caltrans is proposing a $60 million “improvement” to the Eureka-Arcata corridor, which would elevate the highway at Indianola but fail to offer bike or pedestrian safety improvements. The draft Environmental Impact Study (EIS) was recently released and this meeting offers the opportunity to comment on the project. If you can’t make it, visit the Caltrans website to read and comment on the draft EIS.

California Legislature: Change NCRA’s Mandate!
While public sentiment favors the Humboldt Bay Trail, the North Coast Railroad Authority continues to cite its State Legislature-defined mandate as the reason it must deny our community this affordable and practical trail. Contact our State Senator Pat Wiggins to let her know that the NCRA’s current mandate does not serve our community and should be changed! And while you’re at it, visit our website to contact local elected officials as well.

For more information on the Humboldt Bay Trail, port development, and how you can get involved, contact us at 268-0664 or email Pete.

Baykeeper Challenges Illegal Activities On The Balloon Track --4-12-07

On Friday, April 6, Humboldt Baykeeper took action to address violations of the Clean Water Act by Security National, the owners of the Balloon Track property in Eureka. Recently, a construction team began unpermitted and illegal road-building activities that, according to the Eureka Reporter, “was a step towards readying the parcel for the proposed mixed-use Marina Center,” a project that has not yet been approved by either the City of Eureka or the California Coastal Commission.

The violations include unpermitted soil disturbing activities and the dredge and fill of material in and around the wetlands on the Balloon Track. “The site hasn’t been fully assessed for contaminants,” noted Baykeeper Director Pete Nichols. Baykeeper is already pursuing litigation against Security National and Union Pacific Railroad over toxic substances present on the site, which must be cleaned up to stop contamination of Humboldt Bay. Baykeeper believes that no development can be pursued on the property until the pollution is removed.

Read the Humboldt Baykeeper press release and the newspaper articles at our website, www.humboldtbaykeeper.org.