Approximately a third of U.S. residents are non-drivers. Some by choice, but many are physically incapable of driving or financially cannot afford to. The Week Without Driving is an annual campaign that encourages people, especially those who drive, to go a week without their car — use alternative methods, like public transit, walking, biking, or riding-sharing to meet their transportation needs — to see what life is like for non-drivers. The week highlights barriers to transportation and aims to promote better-designed transportation systems and infrastructure for everyone. 

This year, Humboldt County Supervisor Natalie Arroyo attempted a week without driving. She joins hosts Tom Wheeler and Colin Fiske to discuss her experience and the work of local governments to make our transportation system better.

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Assemblymember Damon Connolly joins the program to break down what was a historic legislative session. The legislature made major revisions to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) with the stated purpose of helping to build more housing but some folks—like Assemblymember Damon Connolly—are concerned that the legislature may have gone too far and a "clean-up bill" is needed. Asm. Connolly shares his thoughts on how we balance environmental protection with the "Abundance agenda" sweeping Sacramento. 

The legislature is set to distribute billions of dollars from the state climate bond. What is coming for the North State that excites the Assemblymember? 

And we celebrate a win. Governor Newsom recently signed AB 263, legislation sought by the Yurok and Karuk Tribes and sponsored by Asm. Rogers, Connolly and Ramos. What responsibilities does a legislator have when representing sovereign tribal nations? 

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For decades pesticide-intensive farming of Easter lily bulbs on the Smith River Plain has contaminated groundwater and surface waters of the Smith River estuary, threatening the health of wildlife and humans along one of California’s healthiest, most ecologically pristine rivers. Now the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board is considering new regulations to address this persistent pollution. Greg King, Executive Director of the Siskiyou Land Conservancy, joins the program to discuss an important upcoming townhall meeting—October 8th at 6 p.m. at the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Chambers or participate remotely online—and what it would take to effectively regulation pesticide pollution. 

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High-severity wildfires that burn communities are obviously bad. But what about high-severity fire that burns in the backcountry? Guest Dr. Dick Hutto, Emeritus Professor of biology and wildlife biology at the University of Montana and author of the recently published book A Beautifully Burned Forest: Learning to Celebrate Severe Forest Fire, makes the case that high-severity fire has been unfairly demonized and this fire forms an important and transitory habitat type. 

Rethinking high-severity fire has policy consequences. Do we invest as heavily in fire risk reduction for wildlands or is funding better spent in and near communities? Do we invest as heavily in fire suppression where fires are burning far from human habitations? And what do we do after fires burn—do we log and replant or leave it be? Listen to hear Dr. Hutto’s prescriptions.

Want to learn more? Check out Dr. Hutto’s website on fire ecology. 

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On this week's episode of the Econews Report we discuss restoration planning in the Eel River with a rockstar team of restoration experts. Your host Alicia Hamann of Friends of the Eel River is joined by Kaydee Boozel from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marisa Parish-Hansen and Ruth Goodfield from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Julie Weeder, former NOAA staff and current FOER staff and CDFW volunteer. Tune in for a discussion of how state and federal agencies are working with the local community to develop restoration solutions for the Lower Eel River that work for fish and for people. We’ll discuss upcoming ways for you to participate.

After listening, mark your calendars for the Eel River Community Meeting on Saturday September 27 from 11 am - 2 pm at the Gene Lucas Community Center in Fortuna. Email [email protected] with any questions.

See below links for additional information:

Eel River Community Meeting

NOAA SHaRP

CDFW ShaRP

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Humboldt County just took a big step towards protecting our night sky! In August, the Board of Supervisors approved the Inland Outdoor Lighting Ordinance, regulating outdoor lights to limit light pollution and light trespass. This is a significant win for the dark sky movement and will require new development on unincorporated land to use light fixtures and bulbs that reduce light pollution.

But this isn’t just about seeing more stars — light pollution disrupts the natural rhythms of wildlife and humans alike. Bright lights left on at night can alter the timing of bird migrations, interfere with seasonal flowering cycles, and affect our own sleep cycles.

Sylvia van Royen, GIS & Policy Analyst for Humboldt Waterkeeper, joins us to discuss the new lighting ordinance and how Humboldt residents can adapt their outdoor lighting to be friendlier to migrating birds and support the biological rhythms essential to our region’s biodiversity.

To learn more:

• Humboldt Waterkeeper Light Pollution Factsheet
• DarkSky Approved lighting fixtures
• DarkSky International’s explainer on What is Light Pollution? &Glossary of light-related terms.
• Light Pollution Webpage from the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
• New World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness

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Government often moves slowly. This is a problem when there are immediate safety concerns for a street. The solution: Quick-build projects, which employ cheap and quick materials, like paint or plastic bollards. You may have seen this strategy in action, with new crosswalks and other improvements coming to local streets. Colin Fiske of the Coalition for Transportation Priorities joins the show to talk about quick-build projects and ways we can help identify other roads that need a tune-up.

RESOURCES:

• Quick-Build Toolkit
• Street Story

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Hating on environmental laws is now a bipartisan activity. California Democrats have leaned into the “Abundance agenda” — a progressive case for weakening regulations to build more housing, renewable energy, and other public goods — to take swipes at the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

But to what extent does California’s landmark environmental law actually hold back housing production? And are proposed reforms actually aimed at the right targets?

REQUIRED READING:

• In Defense of CEQA’s Swiss Cheese
• “What is ‘abundance’ liberalism, and why are people arguing about it?” The Guardian, March 28, 2025.

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Been thinking about that induction stove? Or maybe a nice new heat pump? Of course you have! It’s the 21st century.

On Tuesday, 350 Humboldt and a bunch of allied organizations are hosting an “Electrification Fair” at the Jefferson Center, and there’ll be a whole host of experts on hand to help you navigate how to ditch natural gas in the easiest (and cheapest) possible way. More details here.

350 Humboldt’s Wendy Ring joins the show to give you a little preview of the kinds of things that will be on tap at the Fair, and to make the case that even if you don’t know it yet — yes, you really want to electrify.

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PG&E recently tendered its License Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan for the Potter Valley Project to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This plan details when and how PG&E plans to tear down its two dams on the Eel River. And since an agreement has been reached for run-of-the-river, wet season diversions to replace the existing diversion to the Russian River, support for dam removal is now pretty much universal between the two basins. PG&E's Application is eye-wateringly long and technical. Thankfully, Scott Greacen and Alicia Hamann of Friends of the Eel River are here to help break this all down.

The Eel River needs your help! Visit eelriver.org to voice your support for swift dam removal.

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