ACTION ALERT

Date: September 7, 2005

Contact: Pete Nichols, Program Director (268-0664)

Subject: September 14 California Coastal Commission Meeting to Discuss Samoa Beach Surf Dump Proposal

Humboldt Bay Dredging Project: Spoils to Impact Beach, Surfers, and Public Health

A project proposed by the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District and the City of Eureka has caused a stir among surfing enthusiasts, beach-goers, environmental groups, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project, designed to remove sediment from nearly 13 sites in Humboldt Bay, will deposit over 200,000 cubic yards (the equivalent of 20,000 dump truck loads) in the surf-zone on Samoa Beach, adjacent to a popular surf spot named "Power Poles."

This "toxic soup," which contains PCB's and other extremely toxic chemicals, will be suctioned from the bottom of Humboldt Bay, pumped through a pipe which will empty into the surf zone, and will ultimately land on Samoa Beach.

"This is really more of a public health issue than an environmental issue," says Pete Nichols, Director of the Eureka-based Humboldt Baykeeper. "Some of these toxins are known carcinogens. Disposing of these dredge spoils in this way is very irresponsible considering there is an EPA-approved disposal site just 3 miles off of the harbor entrance," he continued. The site Nichols is referring to is the Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) that was approved by the EPA in 1995 to receive materials dredged from Humboldt Bay.

The EPA has informed the Harbor District and the City of Eureka that it disapproves of this method of disposal and recommends they utilize the HOODS site. In fact, in 1998, after the last dredging episode, the EPA instructed the Harbor District to find the means - financial and otherwise - to ensure this irresponsible method would not be employed in the future.

"They obviously did not take the recommendations from EPA seriously, and because they say they are still not in a financial position to dispose of these spoils properly, surfers and the public have to pay the price," said Stacey Campbell of Humboldt Surfriders. Humboldt Surfrider has joined with Humboldt Baykeeper and the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) in opposing the project, which could also significantly impact salmonids that use the proposed dredge channels as migration corridors. A Biological Opinion regarding the impacts to salmonids from NOAA Fisheries is due out in early September.

To learn more about this project, please attend the September 8th Humboldt Surfrider meeting in the Plaza Grill View Room, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pete Nichols from Humboldt Baykeeper will discuss the dredging project and what local surfers, beach-goers, and citizens can do to help.

Community members are also strongly encouraged to attend the September 14, 2005 California Coastal Commission meeting which will be held at the Wharfinger Building in Eureka at 10:00 a.m.

For more information contact Pete Nichols at 268-0664 or pete@humboldtaykeeper.org