Humboldt Baykeeper in the News

Water Board Won't Budge on Dioxin Listing
John Driscoll The Times-Standard
2/21/07

Focus Shifts to Data That Will Determine Bay's Status in 2008

EUREKA -- The state Water Resources Control Board said Tuesday that it is unwilling to reconsider its decision to list Humboldt Bay as polluted by dioxin, a byproduct of a banned wood preservative once used at mills around the bay.

The board stood by the data that was used to make the determination. The focus will now shift to analyzing information to be used in considering whether to keep the bay on -- or remove the bay from -- the list in 2008.

Late last year, the board, urged by the environmental group Humboldt Baykeeper and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, put the bay on its list of water bodies impaired by the carcinogen. That prompted concerns from harbor and city officials, who argued that there were procedural flaws and gaps in data.

”It's pretty clear there's a problem,” said Pete Nichols with Humboldt Baykeeper.

He said that he believes the listing will bring more resources to the bay and allow the scope of the problem to be analyzed and eventually fixed.

Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Executive Officer Dave Hull said that the deadline is next week for submitted information for the 2008 process. He said he is happy that the board recognizes the concerns brought to them by the cities and agencies, but expressed disappointment.

”So it's positive that the state is aware of the concerns,” Hull said.

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