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Could a chemical in our tires be killing salmon? That’s why Humboldt Waterkeeper and the Wiyot Tribe have set out to study. The chemical: 6PPD-quinone, a breakdown product of 6PPD, a products to prevent cracking and structural failure. When tires grind away, little bits of the rubber become susceptible to react with ozone. These are then swept away by rain to local waterways, where even slight concentrations are known to kill coho salmon.

The Wiyot Tribe and Humboldt Waterkeeper sampled 19 urban streams and parking lots that discharge stormwater runoff. Their findings were alarming: Sixty-three percent of samples (12 out of 19) exceeded the U.S. EPA aquatic screening levels. Jen Kalt and Sylvia van Royen of Humboldt Waterkeeper and Tiffany Douglas of the Wiyot Tribe join the show to discuss their study.

To learn more, check out their report!

AUDIO:

The EcoNews Report, June 26, 2026

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Editor’s note: The following story first appeared in The Way It Was, vol. II, a project of the Retired Senior Volunteer Project (RSVP), edited by Gayle B. Karshner Roscoe and published in 1980.

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What a strange combination of words the title of this story contains! Let me explain. During World War II, the meat business suffered much because of meat shortages, fewer butchers, inexperienced and older help and long hours. There were also meat stamps and black markets.

Due to the shortage of meat, one of the substitutes sold in Eureka markets was whale meat. At the Fields Landing Whaling Station, huge blocks of meat were cut from the mammoth whales that were brought into the dock. These chunks were the edible portions and weighed hundreds of pounds. The meat was a dark, blackish-red color and not too appetizing to look at. The butchers cut the chunks into steaks and stew meat and sold the product over the counter. A large portion was used for human consumption and some for animal. The meat was boneless and probably sold 39 cents a pound. The news of Eureka’s City Market selling whale meat reached the the editors of Life magazine, and a picture of my husband selling it to a customer was published. Later, two Eureka men who had been away in the service, one in Italy and the other in Africa, came home when the war was over and both reported to my husband that they had seen the article in Life, in their respective “war countries.” The whale news was big news and it really got around.

Now come the wienies. Up to this time, wienies were a popular and inexpensive item — so much so that butchers formed the habit of passing out wienies to the children who entered the market with their mother or father. However, when the war was on, and all meat except turkeys, fish and some types of sausages were rationed, even the common wienie became a limited item, not one to be given away. Today, with wienies anywhere from 20-30 cents a piece, there is no way they can be handed out free of charge. Times have changed.

There were other more serious problems during the war. My husband owned and operated the City Market, mentioned earlier. It was located on Fifth between E and F. Because many of the young men went away to war, older men and ladies were hired. So, because of limited and inexperienced help, the owner would often go to work as early as 4 or 5 a.m. He would cut up and display all the meat he had on hand for the day. As meat was rationed, he received his quota from big companies like Armour and Co. and Swift and Co. He worked behind closed doors until all the meat was ready, while eager customers formed a line outside that often extended down the street to Payless Drug Store on the corner of Fifth and F.

As soon as the doors opened, customers rushed in and bought all they could get with their meat stamps. Bacon and ham were on very short rations and were usually saved for regular customers. People were always scrounging for items not rationed and some folk visited every market in town to get all the meat they could.

There was a ceiling price on meat which had to be adhered to. But some shops paid a higher price, and in turn, sold it for more — sometimes with or without stamps. This was called the “black market.” And even though fines were imposed, the illegal practice continued all over the country. 

As we have noted, turkeys were plentiful, and were bought fresh, direct from ranches. They were delivered to the markets “New York dressed,” which means they were not drawn, not ready for the oven. The feathers were removed, but the head and feet remained intact. On holidays, the turkey business was a big chore. On Thanksgiving, in the year 1943, City Market bought a big shipment of turkeys. One evening, a few days before the big day, the men worked far into the night displaying the turkeys on large wooden racks. These racks extended the length of the building — approximately 50 feet. Imagine the weight of 500-700 turkeys on these long racks. But finally the task was finished, clean sawdust was raked underneath, and the butchers were ready to go home. And then it happened! Some sections broke, and beautiful, clean, dressed turkeys and fell to the sawdust below. There was nothing to do but pick them up, brush off the sawdust, repair the racks and re-hang. It took most of the night. Then home they went for an hour’s rest before opening up at 7 a.m. At best, butchers’ hours were not easy in those days.

Before the war, competition was keen, and people were very selective and hard to deal with. But during the war, it was a different story.

The story is told of one Eureka house- wife who had always complained about meat being too fat. One day, during the war, she entered the shop where she usually traded. Upon asking for a cer- tain roast in the meat case, her butcher replied, “Oh no, lady, that roast is much too fat for you.”

In the earlier days — 1937 and on — the J.C. Bull Company operated in Arcata. They bought livestock, slaughtered it, and sold to the markets. In Eureka, Langner and Kretner operated in Cut-ten, while the Russ Meat Company was popular in town. The average price of carcass beef was 5-6 cents per pound, dressed.

The old Langner and Kretner Market on Fifth and Myrtle sold meat for many years, next door to Johnson and Nelson’s Grocery Store. It was just a short walk through the alley from my home on Sixth Street where I grew up. Mother would send me to the market for 20 cents worth of hamburger, or 20-25 cents worth of round steak, sufficient for our family of six. Little did I know at that time that my future husband would someday be the owner of that market (having sold the City Market), and the supply of meat for our family of five would be most generous. Business continued in the ancient landmark market until the building was condemned and new quarters were constructed across the street in 1960.

Yes, there were good days and difficult days. During the war, we learned to appreciate many things we had taken for granted. The whale meat did not satisfy, wienies continue to be popular but expensive, while the possibility of another war may be in sight. We do well to count our blessings.

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The piece above was printed in the September-October 1993 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Eureka’s Lamplighter Inn Shuttered Indefinitely After Two Mysterious Deaths
• Police Say Excess Carbon Monoxide Levels Were Noted in Lamplighter Motel Deaths; Causes of Deaths Still ‘Pending Investigation’
• Lawsuit Filed Against Owners of Eureka’s Lamplighter Inn For Carbon Monoxide Death

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Two more lawsuits have been filed against the owners of a Eureka motel where two women died five days apart in the same room.

The incidents, on February 21 and 26, had strikingly similar circumstances. Both times, a person was found dead in the room and an additional surviving guest was taken to the hospital. High levels of carbon monoxide were detected in the room by authorities on the 26th.

These lawsuits, filed concurrently by the same law firm, seek damages for the two people who were injured from significant levels of carbon monoxide, according to court documents.

Both lawsuits accused the owners of negligence for alleged violation of multiple health and safety statutes, including keeping a functional carbon monoxide detector in the room.

According to one lawsuit, one man “sustained serious injuries after being exposed to lethal and preventable levels of carbon monoxide,” in his hotel room on February 21.

In the second lawsuit, another guest is similarly described as sustaining serious injuries.

The lawsuits state the plaintiffs, Reuben Perez and Eugene Kick, continue to suffer from injuries due to being exposed to the gas.

The owners of the hotel, Harjinder and Surinder Heer, are accused of acting “with malice, oppression, and conscious disregard for the rights and safety of others,” noting the two incidents took place within five days of eachother.

Both lawsuits were filed in the Humboldt County Superior Court by Eureka’s Zwerdling Law Firm on May 28. They seek damages and a jury trial.

An attorney representing the Heers did not return an emailed request for comment before publishing time.

But in a recent filing for a related case, they denied wrongdoing. 

These lawsuits follow a separate wrongful death lawsuit for a woman who died with three times the lethal level of carbon monoxide in her system, her father’s attorney previously told the Outpost. The other victim’s cause of death has not been released by authorities.

Since an initial lawsuit was filed, the owners have responded in court, denying the allegations and shifting the blame back to the woman. In an answer to the complaint, attorneys argue preexisting conditions of the woman, or intoxication, partially or fully caused her death. 

The response also denies all the allegations.

Case management conferences are scheduled for September 28 and November 23.

Fire personnel displayed signs of mild carbon monoxide exposure on February 26 after responding to the motel, according to the Eureka Police Department. Officials found elevated levels of the odorless gas and no carbon monoxide detectors in the room the victims were found in.

The hotel has been shuttered since.

Murder hearings delayed

This week, proceedings for three local murder cases were delayed. 

The preliminary hearing for a man accused of murdering and robbing a Fort Bragg man almost a year ago, alongside his co-defendant who is accused of robbery, was delayed due to a key witness being unable to testify today.

According to prosecutor Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees, the witness was present during the shooting and saw the events leading up to and following it.

“She is a necessary witness,” he told the judge in court today. He noted the witness has additional information for possible added charges.

Deunn Willis was charged with murder and felony robbery for the July 8 shooting of Joshua Lee McCollister. Co-defendant Danielle Durand was charged with robbery and remains out on bail.

Both suspects have pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

The hearing, which aims to determine if enough probable cause exists for the defendants to continue to be held to answer on the charges, has been delayed numerous times. Willis’ attorney, Gregory Kreis, opposed the continuance, arguing the witness was not necessary.

“We’ve put this over, and over, and over,” he said, noting his client has remained in custody. In previous hearings Kreis has similarly pressed for the matter to be heard. Willis has been incarcerated since July 11, 2025.

After noting the department couldn’t fit the hearing (estimated to take a full day), Judge Steven Steward found good cause to move it forward, while acknowledging the numerous delays.

The hearing was rescheduled to July 29th.

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Court proceedings for two suspects accused of murdering a 17-year-old in Hoopa were similarly punted forward today.

Defense attorneys are looking for evidence from the District Attorney’s office to be handed over before scheduling a preliminary hearing. 

In particular, they seek any proof the teenaged defendants were part of a criminal street gang. One defense attorney said she received some evidence yesterday from the office, while another has yet to see any.

The next hearing was set for July 8. Judge Steward said he’d hear a previously filed motion to compel evidence, if discovery was still outstanding.

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And Travis Watson, accused of murder in Hoopa, similarly saw his case pushed forward due to a key witnesses unavailability.

Watson has sought a speedy trial. His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Owen Tipps, said his client wishes to proceed despite lacking full discovery. He said he’s almost certain the missing portion will be exculpatory.

The stabbing was reported May 2. Watson reported the stabbing to police, telling dispatch he had been physically attacked by his uncle, according to the Sheriff’s office. He was arrested that morning. He’s pleaded not guilty and remains in custody with a $1,000,000 bail.

This preliminary hearing was rescheduled for July 2.

McKinleyville! 

…

What is it? 

Great question. It’s a growing town with a lot of college graduates, significant “human capital,” in analyst parlance. There’s a lot of beautiful nature near it. A lot of people drive through it. The weather is a lot cooler than lots of other places in California. It’s got an airport! What else could it possibly need?

A lot, it turns out. A group of Cal Poly Humboldt professors and researchers (plus some community partners) made a pretty damn big list of suggestions to brighten McKinleyville’s economic outlook, and they’re looking for the public’s opinions on their research. 

The McKinleyville Economic Strategic Study is a behemoth. The concluding section — only one out of eight other sections — runs to almost 13,000 words and recommends 30 different strategies the government, local businesses, and developers should focus on to improve McKinleyville. 

It really does have a lot going for it, they say, going over in detail all of the previously mentioned pros plus a bunch of others. But it’s also up against some tough challenges. Around 40% of McKinleyville residents spend more than 30% of their income on housing, and developers said they feel hamstrung by the overlapping webs of environmental, local and state regulations that make constructing more housing difficult. Many of the dozens of residents researchers interviewed said getting around without a car was difficult and dangerous; they dislike the lack of a central gathering space for McKinleyvillains and the dearth of good jobs, the limited retail and dining options — and that there’s not an extended-hours urgent care or emergency room. People perceive McKinleyville to be a bedroom community, most of the research boils down to, bereft of services and amenities that forces most of them to work and shop elsewhere.

It’s the status quo, but it doesn’t have to remain that way. Residents want “practical, visible, locally grounded change that improves daily life without eroding small-town identity, environmental quality, or community character,” as the researchers put it, and the ideas they’re pitching aim to address many of their discontents. 

Within the next two years, the network of governmental and business organizations in charge of McKinleyville should focus on improving housing, its transportation infrastructure, growing its health care and workforce networks, and construct some of the McKinleyville Town Center. Public support for these goals is strong and clearly needed, and nicely sets up bigger goals for later. 

A lot of the specifics mirror other local economic development schemes: focus on making the abundant outdoor opportunities more accessible, make the town feel livelier, fill vacant storefronts, et cetera. But the detail included is thorough.

It’s a work in progress, CPH accounting professor Joshua Zender emphasized to the Outpost. Though much of the plan is finalized, they’re still working through the kinks, and people should keep that in mind when reading them and providing feedback.

“The central strategic lesson is straightforward,” the plan reads. “McKinleyville’s problem is not lack of assets. It is fragmentation. The community has strong natural capital, strong human capital, a stable residential base, notable public institutions, and identifiable sector strengths. What it does not yet have is a sufficiently integrated system of housing, mobility, health care, local commerce, business support, and civic life…The purpose of these recommendations is to build a more integrated, sustainable system carefully, locally, and in a way that makes the town more functional without making it less itself.”

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Press release from California State Parks:

WEOTT— California State Park Peace Officers (rangers) arrested a suspect in connection with the recent theft of old-growth redwood from Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Christopher David Guffie, 63, of McKinleyville, was taken into custody on June 10 and booked at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on multiple felony charges, including PC 487(a) Grand Theft. The second suspect, caught on a remote camera, has been identified. State Parks submitted an arrest warrant through Humboldt County’s District Attorney’s Office and is on the lookout for the second suspect.

Investigators estimate that the value of the public resources stolen from Mattole Road in Humboldt Redwoods State Park exceeds $32,000. In addition to the extensive damage done to the forest floor by the suspect’s vehicle, the removal of an old-growth log prevents those crucial nutrients from being provided to the forest over hundreds of years.

State Parks would like to thank the public for their assistance with identifying these suspects. Following reports from the public, State Park rangers were able to execute two search warrants related to the theft and damage of natural resources.

State Parks would also like to thank the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On June 25, 2026, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Division completed a second search warrant operation and follow-up investigation at Miranda’s Rescue Animal Sanctuary, located at 1603 Sandy Prairie Road in Fortuna, California.

The search warrant authorized the Sheriff’s Office to search the grounds and buildings associated with Miranda’s Rescue and Shannon Miranda for evidence related to animal cruelty and fraud. This included the excavation of open fields for evidence of deceased dogs believed to be buried in mass graves.

The investigative team searched the open field on the east side of the property. The property was also surveyed using ground-penetrating radar. Several locations were identified, and specialized teams excavated sites where anomalies in the soil were discovered.

During the excavation, investigators recovered 117 intact canine remains from two dig sites. An additional 21 canine skulls, hundreds of bones, and six loose microchips were located in another dig location near where the intact animals were discovered.

The 117 intact dogs were in various stages of decomposition. Seventy of the dogs were X-rayed on site, and many of those animals showed evidence of bullet fragments. Most of the dogs recovered were microchipped. Analysts are currently reviewing the data obtained from the microchips and are working to identify the dogs associated with those chips. All items were collected as evidence and will undergo further examination as part of the ongoing investigation

Seventy of the dogs were examined on site by USDA and forensic veterinarians. Based on those examinations, investigators preliminarily determined the cause of death for many of those animals to be gunshot wounds. Due to time constraints, the remaining 47 dogs were not examined on scene. All 117 dogs were collected as evidence.

While digging in the northern area of the same field, investigators located additional deceased canines in advanced stages of decomposition. Investigators attempted to remove animals from that location; however, due to the advanced stage of decomposition, investigators on scene, in consultation with the prosecution team, determined that the evidentiary value of removing the animals from the ground was not justified. Investigators documented the location and observations, and the site was covered, leaving the animals in their final resting place.

Sheriff’s investigators also located an area inside a barn believed to be where the dogs were likely killed. In that same area, investigators located more than 600 dog collars. 

Sheriff Honsal stated, “This investigation is just getting started. There is a tremendous amount of data to process, witnesses to interview, and evidence to examine. The Major Crimes Division is laser focused on this case and will continue working with our state and federal partners to examine every lead. We are grateful for the investigative teams from the county, state, and federal government. We are also grateful to the private forensic veterinarians who performed the necropsies on site. The determination all of these professionals showed while working through this horrific scene is something we will not forget.”

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to inform the public that, due to the nature and complexity of this investigation, the evidence review process will require a significant amount of time. Upon completion of the investigation, and after a thorough review of all evidence, if there is sufficient evidence to support violations of animal cruelty, fraud, or other applicable laws, the case will be submitted to the prosecution team for review and consideration of criminal charges.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office understands the public’s desire for accountability and justice. However, it is our responsibility to conduct a complete, impartial, and legally sound investigation while ensuring that the constitutional and legal rights of everyone involved are protected throughout the process.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office extends its sincere gratitude to the California Attorney General’s Office, California Department of Justice, United States Department of Agriculture, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Cal Poly Humboldt Anthropology Department, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and the private forensic veterinarians whose expertise and partnership were instrumental in the successful completion of this operation. We also thank the Yurok Tribal Police Department for its assistance with ground-penetrating radar operations during the investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office understands the significant public interest this case has generated. If you have a question, concern, or information about an animal that was under the care of Miranda’s Rescue, please email HSO@co.humboldt.ca.us.

Due to the number of media requests related to this ongoing investigation, a press conference will be held on Monday, June 29, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Humboldt County Jail Briefing Room, located at 901 5th Street, Eureka, CA 95501. Due to space limitations, only credentialed members of the press will be allowed access into the facility.

This investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251.

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PREVIOUSLY

• Search Warrant Served at Miranda’s Rescue Amid Allegations of Felony Animal Abuse, Fraud and Conspiracy
• Fortuna, Ferndale and Rio Dell Pause Animal Services Contracts With Miranda’s Rescue as Sheriff’s Office Investigation Continues
• Miranda’s Rescue Search Warrant Reveals Eight Dead Dogs Have Been Recovered; Sheriff’s Investigator Believes Miranda Killed Them for Financial Gain
• ‘This Case Remains a Priority’: Sheriff’s Office Issues Update on Miranda’s Rescue Investigation, Asks Public to Come Forth With Information
• BREAKING: At Miranda’s Rescue, Multiple Agencies, Including the FBI, Execute Search Warrant Authorizing Excavation
• (VIDEO) More Than 700 Dogs From Miranda’s Rescue Remain Unaccounted For, Sheriff Honsal Says; Excavation of Grounds to Continue for Several Days
• ‘It’s Gruesome’: Investigators Dig Up More Than A Dozen Dog Carcasses at Miranda’s Rescue on Day Two of Excavations

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As the Humboldt Bay Harbor District finalizes design plans for the Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal slated for the Samoa Peninsula, local officials are encouraging residents to weigh in on the proposed port development before environmental review kicks off later this summer. 

The Harbor District’s Community Advisory Committee hosted a public meeting at the Arcata Community Center on Wednesday night to give residents a chance to ask questions and share their concerns about the  project. The central theme of the evening: “This is the time to have a voice.”

“Now is the time,” said Harbor District Executive Director Chris Mikkelson. “We keep saying it because we really do want to hear from each and every one of you. This is a project that will last in our community for decades to come, and we have to get it right.”

Why is it important to get engaged now? (Stay with me here, this is going to get a little acronym-heavy.) The Harbor District is preparing to recirculate the notice of preparation (NOP) for the heavy lift marine terminal project before the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) is released for public review next spring. Comments submitted through the NOP, which is the first step in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process, will help district staff better understand the community’s top concerns about the project, and those concerns will be addressed in the DEIR. 

When the DEIR is released for a 45-day comment period next year, community members will have yet another opportunity to provide feedback, and the Harbor District will be required to respond to each comment. 

Once it’s fully built out, the heavy lift marine terminal would have the potential to produce and ship the gigantic components needed for floating offshore wind turbines — everything from the blades and nacelles (the protective housing that encases the generating components) to the towers, transmission cables and mooring lines. In fact, the Port of Humboldt Bay is the only port on the West Coast that has the capacity to host all three primary port needs of the offshore wind industry — staging/integration, onsite manufacturing/fabrication and operations/maintenance — though much of that work will also take place at the Port of Long Beach.

At the outset of Wednesday’s meeting, Tom Wheeler, executive director of the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), urged meeting attendees to “take the potential for offshore wind seriously.”

Tom Wheeler

“As a community, we have the opportunity to shape this project,” he said. “The Humboldt Bay Heavy Lift Marine Terminal will be the most apparent and impactful to our local community, and will require a substantial redevelopment of Redwood Marine Terminal 1. This redevelopment will be impactful, no doubt. … I’m not here to pretend that there are not substantial concerns. These are daunting, and yet I am also hopeful that through active engagement with the community, we can develop a proposal that works for the oystermen and fishermen of the bay, the residents — both human and non-human — of Humboldt Bay, and the First Peoples of this area.”

Shane Phillips, a coastal engineer with Long Beach-based global infrastructure advisor Moffatt & Nichol, said his firm is one of 20-plus consultants working on the preliminary designs for the port development project, which will set the groundwork needed for the CEQA process and regulatory permitting. 

“For a project of this scale, you can imagine there’s a lot of different aspects, details, analysis that needs to be done, and so we’ve developed a pretty robust team here,” he said, noting that “at least seven” of the consultant firms have locally based staff. “That was very intentional. It helps bring together that good local knowledge and understanding of conditions here, but also leveraging in with such a specialized project that experience and knowledge from other locations around the country.”

Following the project overview, meeting attendees were encouraged to check out several displays around the room where Community Advisory Committee members and local experts were on hand to answer questions about the CEQA process, community benefits, design elements and environmental impacts.

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo, one of 40-plus people on the Harbor District’s Community Advisory Committee, was stationed at the “community concerns” station, where she fielded a wide range of questions, including concerns about the port project’s potential to exacerbate the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis and environmental impacts. 

“The concerns are running the gamut,” Arroyo told the Outpost. “There are concerns that the project won’t happen or that we’ll stymie it somehow, as well as concerns about specific aspects of the project and what kind of impacts that could have on Humboldt.”

“I’m just thrilled to see this much turnout,” she added. “It’s great that so many folks came out. I’ve heard a lot of speculation that this project isn’t moving forward, and I think one of the big points was to stay engaged. … I think it makes sense as a community to treat this as though it’s a real thing that requires people’s input.”

There were big sheets of paper set up on easels where attendees could write down questions and comments, which will eventually be transcribed and added to the Harbor District’s list of considerations for the NOP and DEIR. 

Attendees were also given stickers to rank their level of excitement and concern with certain aspects of the project, which, as seen below, tended to skew toward “extremely concerned.”

After about 45 minutes of wandering around the room, a seven-person panel assembled on stage to answer some of the community’s questions. In response to a question about potential impacts to birds and marine animals, Adam Wagschal, a senior planner with local engineering firm GHD, said the DEIR will address mitigation strategies.

“First, every attempt possible is made to avoid impacts,” he said. “If they can’t be avoided, then measures are identified to minimize impacts as much as possible. And when it can’t be minimized and there’s going to be a real impact, then there’s efforts to mitigate. … Biological compensatory mitigation is something that will be required by this project, and … to offset or mitigate those impacts, there will be habitat restoration [and] restoration of eel grass habitat in other parts of the bay. We’re working with landowners around the bay right now to develop projects that will restore salt marshes and other habitats to provide compensatory mitigation for this impact.”

Osprey are among the species that will be impacted by port development. “There are nests that will be displaced by the project,” Wagschal said. “Those nests will be replaced, I believe, at least with a one-to-one ratio right nearby, so they still have the same number of nests in the same general area again.”

Shelly Anghera, a principal scientist with Moffatt & Nichol, said the project will also be subject to permitting requirements from numerous regulatory agencies on top of what is required by CEQA.

“As an example, I know that there’s been concern about turbidity generated during dredging,” she said. “Part of the [EIR] analysis would be looking at, like, what is the potential for turbidity, how much, for how long and what are the impacts that that might have. … There’s also the permit that’s required from the Regional Water Quality Control Board that just says here’s the state requirement for total suspended solids, and during your construction operations, this is how you will monitor. If you are in exceedance of these specific criteria, then you need to stop your actions [and] implement a corrective measure to get it back into compliance.”

The panel also addressed questions about workforce development and job creation. Mikkelson said the Harbor District Board of Commissioners approved a project labor agreement in 2023 with the Humboldt-Del Norte County Building and Construction Trades Council that prioritizes local workers. 

“It gives preference to enrolled tribal members, it gives preference to high school graduates in this community [and] it gives preference to people who live on the Samoa Peninsula,” he said. “Those are key unique benefits to make sure we keep it here in our community, and we don’t just hire people from the outside.”

One of the last questions of the night asked who has the final say in whether the port development project — or any offshore wind-related projects — move forward. Mikkselson took the question, noting that the district’s board of commissioners will have the final say. Still, he encouraged people to speak out.

“If I haven’t said it enough, you have that say,” he said. “You just gotta get loud, you just gotta get rowdy, and you’ve gotta make your thoughts heard.”

Right on cue, someone in the audience got up to make her thoughts known. She identified herself as Melissa Star Meyers, a member of the Yurok Tribe and fervent opponent of offshore wind.

“It hurts my heart that we’re talking about our ocean like it’s a thing, like it’s an object or something,” Meyers said. “For my people who are from here … how I became a human was part of the ocean, part of the wind, and part of the land — that’s how I became a human. … I’m here right now to stick up for peeshkaahl, the ocean. … I do not give them permission to put these hideous — and I’m not sorry about it — hideous objects in my land and my water.”

Meyers sharply criticized the panel for downplaying environmental impacts to Humboldt Bay and the surrounding land. She also expressed concern about the MMIP crisis, as many other tribal members have, and asserted that the port development project would draw in violent out-of-towners.

“All those guys … they’re going to come to your bars, they’re going to take it over, they’re going to take your women [and] they’re going to rape us, pillage us and kill us like always when these industries come to town,” she said.

Arroyo, who was leading the panel discussion, asked if she could put some of Meyers’ concerns to the panelists. Meyers agreed, but continued to criticize the panel for failing to acknowledge that they were on native land.

Lonyx Landry

One of the panelists, Lonyx Landry, a STEM advisor at Cal Poly Humboldt and citizen of the Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation, asked Meyers how she wanted to deal with the threat of climate change.

“What is happening now is killing that beautiful thing you’re talking about,” he said. “What are you gonna do?”

“Lonyx, turn off your lights and ride a bike,” she said as she retreated back to the audience. 

After the exchange, Mikkelson thanked attendees for their “words of passion” and “personal testimony,” reiterating the importance of continued engagement.

“There is an incredible amount [of effort] that goes to this project and the commitment … to engage with each and every person,” he said. “Some of it we do in very public settings like this, and others we don’t do it in such a public setting. … There’s a large commitment to be all-inclusive, and we understand capacity in this community is limited. If your ability to engage is limited by capacity, reach out to me personally, reach out to our staff.”

“I’ll say it again, we’ve got to get this right,” he continued. “We can’t make the mistakes that we’ve made in the past, and I think we heard a little bit of those mistakes this evening.”

The rest of the panel shared closing remarks and, again, encouraged the community to stay engaged as environmental review moves forward.

The NOP will be recirculated for a 30-day public review period in August. If everything stays on track, the DEIR will be published next spring. Permit applications are scheduled to be submitted at that time as well.

Those interested in following the heavy lift marine terminal project a little more closely can tune into the Harbor District Board of Commissioners’ monthly meeting on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. District staff present an update on the project at each meeting.

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