EcoNews Report

David George Gordon, author of the new book, Heaven of the Half Shell, joins the show to discuss all things oysters. The oyster has long been an integral part of local diets and has helped to shape our history. Now, climate change and invasive species put  oysters at risk. Tune in to learn more about this lovely mollusk! 

David will be in town for an oyster-filled weekend the second weekend in September  The first event will be held Friday, September 8 at 7pm at Northtown Books and the second event (featuring oysters!) will be on Sunday, September 10th at 4pm at Wrangletown Cider in Arcata.  

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The kids are alright. Sixteen youth took Montana to court to challenge their state's failure to consider greenhouse gas emissions when approving fossil fuel extraction permits. Using Montana's unique constitution, which explicitly recognizes a right to a clean and healthy environment, the plaintiff's alleged that Montana violated their constitutional rights. And a judge agreed. In a powerful 103 page ruling, Judge Kathy Seely outlined the facts about climate change and how Montana's failure to consider greenhouse gas emissions when reviewing permits directly harmed the plaintiffs. 

Environmental attorneys Tom Wheeler, Matt Simmons and Jen Marlow break down the case and its implications.

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On this week's episode of the EcoNews Report, our host Tom Wheeler is joined by Alicia Hamann and Craig Tucker from Friends of the Eel River to discuss a vague, last-minute proposal from water users to take over part of the Potter Valley Project. Pacific Gas and Electric, owners of the two Eel River dams and diversion tunnel that make up the Project, are in the midst of preparing their license surrender and decommissioning plan. The company will submit a draft plan this November, with a final plan due January of 2025. And PG&E has been clear that they want to rid themselves of this aging, liability-ridden project - they've told stakeholders that their plan will call for removal of all infrastructure in the water. BUT - they also told stakeholders this spring that the company would be open to proposals to take over all or part of the project through the end of July.  

A proposal from Sonoma Water, Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, and the Round Valley Indian Tribes was published just last week, but it's really more of a plan to make a plan. While it supports removal of Scott Dam, the plan is unclear about the future of Cape Horn Dam, or how any of their proposed modifications to Cape Horn Dam will be financed. Leaving the most difficult questions unanswered makes it all but certain that this proposal would delay PG&E's plans for decommissioning and dam removal.

Tune in to learn about what Eel River advocates think about this proposal, and how conservation organizations plan to continue holding PG&E to a swift timeline for dam removal.

More Info:

• Sonoma's Eel River Diversion Plan Risks Extinction of Humboldt Fisheries

Past episodes about Eel River Dams: 

• What's Next for Eel River Dams 2/12/2022 
• The Beginning of the End for Eel River Dams 4/16/2022 
• Big Doings on the Beautiful Eel River 8/6/2022 
• PG&E Finally Taking Dam Safety Seriously 4/1/2023

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Call it what you want—supply side progressivism, a “liberalism that builds,” or good ol’ permitting reform—a debate has emerged within progressive circles about whether environmental laws get in the way of good things, like renewable energy, and if so, what to do about it. As the executive director of a non-profit law firm that regularly uses environmental laws to fight bad things like oil and gas development, Erik Schlenker-Goodrich of the Western Environmental Law Center, has some thoughts on the matter. He joins the show for a conversation about the perils and potential of amending environmental laws to make good things easier to do. 

REQUIRED READING:

• We Must Tend the Garden of Environmental Law
• A Liberalism That Builds Power
• What America Needs Is a Liberalism That Builds

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Walkability expert Dan Burden took Humboldt by storm last week, leading walk audits in Blue Lake, McKinleyville, Arcata, and Eureka. Dan joins the show to talk about how we can rethink our road system to be safe for all people on foot, on bikes, and in cars. 

Read more! 

• How Do We Make Our Communities More Walkable? Dan Burden Knows, and He’s Coming to Humboldt to Help Us Out - Lost Coast Outpost
• In Conversation With an Expert: Dan Burden - Strong Towns 

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Rob Arkley is back at it again! This time with a new ballot initiative that would block new affordable housing in downtown Eureka and rezone the former Jacobs Middle School site for dense housing. (To be clear: more density is great! But Eureka City Schools, which owns the site, has already turned down an offer from the city to purchase the lot and California Highway Patrol is deep in negotiations to purchase some of the land.)

Jen Kalt of Humboldt Baykeeper and Matt Simmons of EPIC join the show to discuss Arkley's previous ballot initiatives—whatever happened to the Marina Center?—and the consequences of the ballot initiative should it pass.

More Info:

• The CHP Would Like to Build New Headquarters on the Property Championed by People Opposing Downtown Housing Development, and There Was a Meeting About it Yesterday - Lost Coast Outpost, July 20, 2023
• Wiyot Tribe Awarded Affordable Housing Contract in Eureka - Lost Coast Outpost, July 19, 2023
• EaRTH Center a Go: Eureka Council Approves Ambitious Housing/Transit Development Downtown - Lost Coast Outpost, Feb 10, 2022

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Offshore wind energy can be thought of as three distinct projects: the construction of offshore wind turbines, the actual operation and generation of electricity, and the transmission of that electricity across California. The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District is poised to play a major role in offshore wind turbine construction and is planning improvements to create a port designed specifically to build these large floating turbines. 

The Harbor District has released a "Notice of Preparation"—the initial step in the CEQA process for analyzing environmental impacts from the port redevelopment. Luis Neuner of EPIC, Jen Kalt of Humboldt Baykeeper, and Caroline Griffith of the Northcoast Environmental Center join the show to discuss their thoughts on the initial designs. 

More info:

• The Harbor District’s Notice of Preparation of Draft Environmental Impact Report is the earliest phase of environmental review in which the public can raise issues to be analyzed. Written comments are due by 5 pm on Aug. 3. Submit via email to Rob Holmlund at [email protected].
• Humboldt Harbor District Officials Talk Port Development As Offshore Wind Efforts Ramp Up by Isabella Vanderheiden, Lost Coast Outpost

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Plastic is everywhere and not in a good way. From the Mariana Trench to the top of Mount Everest to even your own blood (ew!), plastic pollution is a big and growing problem. 

Jen Savage, Senior Plastic Pollution Manager at the Surfrider Foundation joins the show to talk about Plastic Free July, an international movement to try to reduce plastic use as much as possible for the entire month. 

Need some help getting started? Check out the Surfrider Foundation's tips for plastic-free living. 

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How do you improve the flow of a river? Just ask our friends at Salmonid Restoration Federation. On this week's episode of the EcoNews Report host Alicia Hamann of Friends of the Eel River is joined by Dana Stolzman and Katrina Nystrom from Salmonid Restoration Federation, and Joel Monschke from Stillwater Sciences for a discussion of flow monitoring and enhancement projects on the South Fork Eel River. Tune in to learn more about SRF's decade of flow monitoring on Redwood Creek, the Marshall Ranch Flow Enhancement Project, and more.

Learn more about Salmonid Restoration Federation.

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Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) once swam along the North Coast of California, but 18th- and 19th-century fur trappers nearly caused the species to go extinct. Statewide, only one remnant population of approximately fifty individuals was left in Big Sur by the 1930s. 

Today, thanks to concerted efforts, more than 3,000 sea otters call California home from that small initial remaining population. While recovery efforts have increased the overall population, sea otters are still only occupy a narrow belt, roughly from Santa Cruz to Point Conception, of their historic range. 

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has studied the feasibility of sea otter reintroduction efforts and is hosting open houses across the North Coast to discuss potential reintroduction. Guests Chanel Hason of the Elakha Alliance and Andrew Johnson of Defenders of Wildlife join the show to discuss the vital role that sea otters play in ocean ecosystems and their work to facilitate sea otter introduction. 

Want to attend a meeting? There are some that are (likely) close to you!

• Crescent City - June 24, 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM, Del Norte Recreation Department, Gymnasium 1005 H St., Crescent City, CA 95531
• Arcata - June 25, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Cal Poly Humboldt, College Creek Complex, Great Hall Community Center Building, Room 260, 1 Rossow St., Arcata, CA 95521
• Fort Bragg - June 26, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Noyo Center for Marine Science, Discovery Center 338 N Main St., Fort Bragg, CA 95437

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