Humboldt County is considering rezoning hundreds of thousands of acres outside the Coastal Zone to implement the 2017 General Plan.
A series of public workshops to discuss these proposed changes will be held in the coming weeks. Read on for dates and locations:
In November, Humboldt Baykeeper filed an appeal to the California Coastal Commission of Mercer Fraser's asphalt plant at Big Lagoon. Mercer-Fraser Co. has waived the deadline for the appeal hearing. We will keep you informed of next steps.
Photo: Asphalt plant east of Big Lagoon operating under a temporary permit in 2017.
In October, the State of California issued an official fish advisory for Humboldt Bay using data from Humboldt Baykeeper's recent study of mercury in fish and shellfish. The advisory addresses eight species of fish, some of which are safe to eat up to seven times a week.
Only leopard shark is listed as unsafe to consume in any amount.
UPDATED! Humboldt Baykeeper has been testing mercury levels in local fish since July 2016 with funding from the California Environmental Protection Agency. We’ve found that most local fish are safe to eat in moderation—with a few exceptions.
Click HERE for the Final Report
Click HERE for the updated Guidelines
Learn how to avoid domoic acid and other toxins
The Dungeness crab season is finally under way! With last year's unsafe domoic acid levels, health department officials continue to recommend not eating the internal organs (known as crab butter) which concentrated toxins, including dioxins.
Click HERE to download the brochure explaining this simple method.
Call Humboldt Baykeeper at (707) 499-3678 to report a spill after business hours, or if you prefer to remain anonymous. Please take photos if possible.
For spills in Humboldt Bay:
For spills in or near storm drains (which drain to creeks and Humboldt Bay):
Humboldt Baykeeper’s Jen Kalt is one of nine women featured in the Times-Standard's Monday Magazine, a new publication celebrating local women in business.
Kalt says that the lack of enforcement of many environmental laws in Humboldt County is “severe” and criticized decision makers who she said have “enabled” businesses to operate outside of those laws.
“I think that’s an injustice to the people who believe in running their business in ways that follow the laws and protect the environment and community,” she said.
“Industries come and go, but the bay and rivers, if we destroy them, they’re gone forever.”
