350 Humboldt strongly supports floating offshore wind as an important element of the transition to renewable energy and elimination of fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions. We also are in the CORE Hub coalition of many community organizations supporting community benefits and formal agreements with community groups.

CORE Hub is asking members of all its constituent organizations to attend the Harbor District meeting tomorrow evening and support the community’s requests of the Harbor District. We request that as many 350 members in Humboldt County as possible turn out for the meeting and make one or more of the points below:

CORE Hub Coalition information about the meeting:

 

Talking Points

The District needs to address concerns raised by the community about the developer and the project through support for a binding, enforceable community agreement with commitments to:

  1. Use best available technology to achieve  a ‘zero-emissions’ wind terminal;
  2. Take strong measures to prevent Murdered and Missing Indigenous People and sexual harassment/trafficking;
  3. Help address community infrastructure needs of communities surrounding the port through a fund and operational commitments;
  4. Protect environmental and cultural resources through site design and complying with CEQA and other environmental laws and adaptive management;
  5. Be transparent in community governance and decision making, including having a community steering committee;
  6. Policies for economic development and commitments to  good jobs, training and leadership opportunities for local residents, members of Tribal Nations, and other underrepresented communities;
  7. Preservation of local Tribal, commercial and recreational fishing, and mariculture;
  8. Support for Tribal Nations through a Tribal Fund and direct communications.

The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Commission is meeting on November 9, 2023, at 6:00PM, at Woodley Island Marina Meeting Room 601 Startare Drive, Eureka

●      Click here for the meeting agenda. The first item of new business on the agenda is 11a) Receive an Update on the New Heavy Lift Marine Terminal to Support the Offshore Wind Industry. That is the time to provide comment on the wind terminal.  

●      Each person providing public comment on this agenda item is allotted a period of 3 minutes. Please use this time to share some of the points above.  Your Voice matters!

Let’s work together to develop this wind terminal project right and make it a point of pride for our community.

 

Thanks very much for attending (or sending a letter to the Harbor District) and making a comment.

350 Humboldt Offshore Wind Committee


BELOW IS THE LETTER WE SENT TO THE HARBOR DISTRICT ON OCTOBER 9th

Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, & Conservation District

Dear Commissioners:

The recent allegations of sexual harassment, violence and trafficking against Crowley are deeply concerning and must be openly and proactively addressed by the Harbor District and Crowley. Sexual violence is endemic in Humboldt County. Of particular concern is the risk to the Native population from another development boom. Northern California is the epicenter for California’s large MMIP (Murdered and Missing Indigenous People) caseload.

The Yurok Tribal Court sent your Board a document that confronts these threats head-on and includes 16 proposed actions: How to Protect Native Women, Girls and People in Humboldt and Del Norte County as Offshore Wind Enters the Region: MMIP Prevention, Planning and Recommendations. (June 21, 2023).  We fully support their comprehensive and thorough proposal.

We urge the Harbor District to adopt the measures proposed by the Yurok Tribal Court. These guidelines should be written into the enforceable lease with Crowley (or whatever company ultimately has the lease) and should be part of a Community Agreement package with the local community and the Tribes.

The rapidly increasing climate emergencies of this summer underline the need for swift and decisive action on renewable energy. Moving quickly requires that renewable energy be developed in ways that benefit the host communities. This is an opportunity for the Harbor District to demonstrate they will prioritize protecting our community while moving ahead on climate mitigation and local economic growth.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

350 Humboldt Steering and Offshore wind Committees

Nancy Ihara, Jenifer Pace, Martha Walden, Daniel Chandler, Cathy Chandler-Klein

IBEW Local 1245, Bob Dean- Business Manager

Colin Fiske, Executive Director and President

Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities

Gregg Gold, Chair

North Group Sierra Club