PG&E has released their initial draft decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Project. The plan calls for removal of both Scott and Cape Horn Dams, and provides a few options for consideration by stakeholders. This initial draft does not include environmental review, proposed license surrender conditions, or a conceptual restoration plan; those will come with … Read more
Background You may remember from the announcement last fall, or have read in the news, that PG&E has requested authorization from both the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to transfer all of their non-nuclear generation assets to a newly formed subsidiary called Pacific Generation. Several of the hydropower … Read more
Background Fisher Road has been used by the fishing community for nearly 100 years to access the Van Duzen River, a major tributary to the Eel. Last fall the southernmost property owners on the road asked Humboldt County to “vacate” the road, aka remove public access. Luckily we were able to put the brakes on … Read more
Background On November 8th Public Works brought a “Resolution to Summarily Vacate a Portion of Fisher Road (4G070) South of State Highway 36 in Hydesville” before the Board of Supervisors. This 0.8-mile section of road is located on one ranch and the property owners would like this section converted to a private road that will … Read more
In September, Senator McGuire introduced SB 307 to address the threat of outside interests seeking to haul coal through the Eel River Canyon by utilizing the NCRA rail right-of-way. This bill clearly asserts that state money shall not be used to “initiate, improve, or operate” rail service on the unviable North Coast rail line north … Read more
The Humboldt County Supervisors will be considering a resolution opposing the storage and handling of coal at their meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, October 5th, 2021. Please join us in supporting their resolution and encouraging them to show support for the Great Redwood Trail by coordinating with the North Coast Railroad Authority to support railbanking. Instructions for … Read more
Hi Friends, Coal interests are moving to seize the North Coast Railroad Authority’s rail line in a scheme to ship coal to Asia out of Humboldt Bay. Such an operation would present profound threats to public health and to North Coast ecosystems, especially Humboldt Bay and the Eel River. Nor can the Earth’s atmosphere absorb … Read more
At its June 16, 2021 meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission will decide whether to protect Klamath Spring Chinook salmon and Northern California summer steelhead under the California Endangered Species Act. Spring Chinook and summer steelhead return to freshwater much earlier than their fall-run Chinook and winter-run steelhead counterparts. These unique life histories allow … Read more
Way back in 1978 Congress amended the Federal Power Act to include an Office of Public Participation (OPP) under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The OPP was given the mandate to coordinate assistance to members of the public intervening in FERC proceedings, as well as provide reasonable compensation for costs of intervening. However, it … Read more
Support the Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act The Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act, introduced by Congressman Jared Huffman and Vice President Kamala Harris back in 2018, will protect wild public lands and rivers, expand recreational opportunities, improve fire risk management, benefit local economies, and even address trespass cannabis growing. We … Read more