UPDATE: Part of a missing 21-year-old Blue Lake man’s canoe was found today on the shoreline north of Elk Head, according to a Facebook post by his father. Hunter Nathaniel Lewis is believed to have entered the ocean with his canoe in Trinidad Harbor between 10 a.m. and noon Dec. 30 and hasn’t been seen […]
Environment / Natural Resources
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Aquafarm’s Full Draft Environmental Study Released for Review
In an unusual turn for a developer, Nordic Aquafarm subjected itself to a full environmental impact report in its bid to build a big fish farm on the Samoa Peninsula. The draft report, released today, supplanted a draft review in which the county determined the aquaculture plant wouldn’t negatively impact Humboldt’s environment. The company’s new […]
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Coastal Flood Advisory: The Tides are High This Week
It’s that time of year again, when the alignment of the gravitational pull between the sun, moon, and Earth creates very high tides — also known as King Tides — bringing minor coastal flooding to low-lying areas. Running through Dec. 6, tides upward of 8 feet are expected, including a high of 8.72 feet just […]
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A 50% Coupon for One Tool? Gardeners Call California’s Subsidy Inadequate
Though Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill banning the sale of most new gas powered tools by 2024, gardeners and landscapers say a $30 million state subsidy isn’t nearly enough to help small operators make the switch to electric. The state agency responsible for administering the subsidy estimates it has only enough to give […]
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NCJ Preview: Gift Guide, Karuk Land Return, Mushrooms and Crab
This week we’re peeking into the pages of the annual Gift Guide and the story behind its cover art. We’re also looking at proposed legislation to return 1,200 acres of land to the Karuk Tribe and why it’s culturally and historically significant. If you’re a mushroom fan or mushroom hunter, you’ll want to get in […]
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PG&E Reactor Officially Decommissioned, Nuclear Waste Not
PG&E’s Humboldt Nuclear Power Plant reactor site was deemed fully cleaned up by the Nucle ar Regulatory Commission today. While the federal government no longer has oversight over that part of the site — “none at all,” said commission spokesperson David McIntyre — the spent fuel and other radioactive waste, however, remains under federal jurisdiction. […]
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NCJ Preview: 101 Underwater, Watching Cops and Raising Turkeys
The looming threat of sea level rise is particularly scary along U.S. Highway 101. CalTrans and others are searching for solutions to the flooded future of Humboldt’s main transportation artery, and this week we’re talking about the options and obstacles for keeping the roadway above water. We’re also looking at Eureka’s move toward more robust […]
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Winged Warning: Migrating Birds Hit Hard by California’s Drought
It says something about the complexity of California’s water crisis that there are so many actors in the state’s water wars, all clamoring for more. Nature, alone, is silent in this fight, relying on others to speak on behalf of the welfare of wildlife and waterways. Across the state, biologists, farmers and hunters are lending […]
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As UN Tackles Twin Climate Threats, California Struggles with Them, Too
Nations around the globe this month have pledged to tackle two thorny and critical threats to Earth’s climate: methane, which is the most potent planet-warming pollutant, and widespread destruction of forests. Both of these are major contributors to climate change that California has tried — yet struggled — to address. More than 100 countries inched […]
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CalTrans Considers Alternatives to ‘Armoring’ 101 Against Sea Level Rise
As it faces flooding from sea level rise along the U.S. Highway 101 Arcata-Eureka, CalTrans is seriously considering a “living shoreline” instead of throwing riprap up against the tides. In a workshop yesterday, it also seemed clear the agency is going to keep the current road alignment at the edge of Humboldt Bay. Clancy DeSmet, […]
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Inside the Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement at Cal State
Ethan Quaranta seeks out nature when he needs to heal. He picked up that habit on annual family trips to Lake Almanor, where his great-grandmother grew up. There, on hikes, kayak rides, and in conversations about his family’s history, the 21-year-old California State University Monterey Bay student developed a passion for keeping spaces like the […]
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Newsom Declares Drought Emergency Across California
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday declared a drought emergency for the entire state of California, as conservation efforts continue to fall far short of state targets. Newsom also authorized California’s water regulators to ban wasteful water use, such as spraying down public sidewalks, and directed his Office of Emergency Services to fund drinking water as […]