Eureka kazillionaire Rob Arkley made some surprising revelations yesterday in a radio interview on KINS radio. Here are the biggest ones:
1) What Marina Center?
“Frankly it’s not my priority right now given the east-west rail,” he says.
2) Arkley’s company — not the City of Eureka — is the lead agency on the east-west rail project.
“It looks like Security National is gonna be — we’ve got the community support and the governmental support. And we’re probably going to be hiring an investment banker ourselves who will be negotiating,” he says.
3) Eureka can stop trying to garner support and financing for a feasibility study.
Arkley says that an unnamed private company will now handle it. He’s coy about identifying which one: “We know who we’re gonna be negotiating with on the entire project,” he says before offering a hint. “Someone who operates ports and rails — think about the biggest one in the world.” He continues, “We’re going to be giving them an exclusive on the project from our perspective for a year while they do their own studies and try to reverse-engineer users.”
4) Arkley could pay for the railroad himself if he wanted to.
“We [Security National] made the determination that our 300 acres is enough to justify the entire rail,” he says. “Our 300-acre Fairhaven site is enough to justify the entire rail expenditure.”
5) The only potential export product he’ll identify is lumber.
Canada has a lock on container shipping, so that’s out, Arkley says. Host Brian Papstein asks the billion-dollar question: What will be shipped on these hypothetical trains? “Oh, we’ll export lumber,” Arkley answers. Never mind that the industry is a fraction of what it used to be, or that the county’s own economic development coordinator says, “They’re happy with trucks.” Arkley predicts that lumber exports will somehow exceed the volumes shipped south in the industry’s heyday, in part by opening up a “market for central valley mills.” Confusingly he adds, “Same thing on import.”
6) The proposed route has changed.
Rather than ending up in Alton, Arkley now says, “We’re talking about going around Korbel and ending up in Anderson [in] an hour and a half, out South Fork Mountain.”
7) Mark Lovelace and “his ilk” are obstructing the train.
Papstein asks, “Why hasn’t it happened yet?” apparently referring to permitting, financing, engineering and completing the largest infrastructure project the county has seen in decades. “I think because the Harbor District wants to study it,” Arkley answers. Also, County Supervisor “Mark Lovelace doesn’t want it, and a few of his minority ilk.”
The Harbor District has expressed no intention to study the east-west rail project, specifically. Its commissioners are currently doing fact-finding on multiple rail connection possibilities, including the North Coast Railroad Authority’s defunct north-south line. Arkley doesn’t explain how this is hindering the project.
“I guess the Harbor District wants to do their own study and I don’t get that at all,” he says. “I mean, why? We own the land. We’re going to get the rail done through a contract. If the Harbor District wants to develop its port, why don’t they let us lead?” He laughs. “And then they can see what they can do.”
Lovelace has not publicly opposed the project but has expressed skepticism about its feasibility. The Board of Supervisors has heard two items related to the east-west rail project — a proposal to draft a resolution of support and a proposal to join the UpState RailConnect Committee. Both were approved.
This article appears in ‘Don’t Bother Coming In’.
I thought the days of lumber barons tearing up the land for easy money, locals and their environment be damned, was a thing of the past.
It is. Regulations up the yin yang see to that. But what NCJ editors won’t mention is the elephant in the room which is the fact that the northcoast grows trees and grows them bigger and faster than most any other place on earth. So while local mills are shut down what’s happening on the ground is growth and lot’s of it. More trees because trees are us and Prog Luddites refuse to acknowledge that this is TREE COUNTRY and always will be (unless global warming radically changes our local climate). So how to get trees to market will always be a relevant question for Humboldt County citizens. And as usual, Arkley as a concerned citizen has stepped up to the plate and is looking at what Humboldt County needs in the future when trees are being harvested again in Humboldt’s major economic product that, unlike pot, is not subject to cultural biases determining prices.
Good to see he has shifted from a project that realistically could be built if he is able to adequately bribe the Coastal Commission into granting a coastal development permit to build the Marina Center to a project that is far from realistic to build.
He must be smoking mass Humboldt Kind to think it will get constructed. Gathering all the environmental permits alone means that it will not be constructed until after he is pushing up daises.
What happens when we get another 1,000 year storm that renders all transportation corridors into and out of Humboldt County unpassable for long periods of time? Does he think the Fed’s will provide emergency funding when along he with his fellow Repubs want to cut government and adequate taxes required to fund the country. So he’ll need to blow several more kazillion dollars to get the line reopened. This region does not have enough harvestable trees to cover that loss.
“Steve” has had this mysterious “prog” lodged in his ass for years. Very sad. And Lovelace and “his ilk” have somehow suppressed the logging industry,and since there’s no other possible way to transport lumber, once the train is up and running, trees will grow faster than we can cut them down.
I predict the East-West rail will be almost as successful at the Marina Center project
I love this idea and have since I first heard Arkley talk about it months ago. It’s not exactly a nuclear power plan but owning a railroad gets Arkley just a bit closer to morphing into Mr. Burns, which, let’s face it, we all want that. Maybe as soon as the last mile of track has been laid and prime Humboldt Brand redwood boards are being shipped en masse to hungry consumers everywhere, Arkley could look into entering the slurry business?
Mr. Arkley doesn’t own the east-west right of way – largely through Federal Lands and with dozens if not 100s of private landowners along the way. Thirty feet wide by 200 miles long is a LOT of construction and mitigation when there’s no active call for it.
But good deal, it’ll keep him tied up for years and nothing will come of it. It’s not the same as remodeling a couple of existing buildings – nor even as simple as reopening existing right of ways.
Yes, Joel, “Steve” is the same Steve who had what you as a defender of enviro assholes would call a “prog” in the whole Humboldt County behind when it took 20 years for the assholes to own up to Steve’s complaint which was right on the money: “prog” asshole enviros were ignoring the major eco-destruction problem in Humboldt County, no, not Maxxam, not any of the timber companies but the good old boys and girls living up in the hills ponying up monies for enviro assholes to continue their misinformation campaign so they could get to be even bigger enviro assholes. 20 years of homestead eco-damage gone virtually unchecked because people like you, Joel, were more intent on slandering the opposition than telling the truth. I tell it like it is and the fact is, NOTHING any Prog or enviro asshole can do will stop the inevitable railway from being reestablished in Humboldt County. Trying to stop the natural growth and needs of society with utterly selfish class warfare aims as have the Progs and enviros who are trying their best to destroy Humboldt’s economy so the working class and poor are made even poorer and schools, hospitals, deteriorate, all because Progs don’t care about the working class or poor. Now, Joel, let’s hear you chime in for your Prog capitalists, Pierson and Glass for example, tell us how very much they’ve both contributed to the community benefit and cultural venues when compared to Rob Arkley. No, I’m not saying Arkley capitalism is best but am saying you Progs like here at NCJ are idiots when you think you can really diss a productive community shaker and mover when you yourselves have nothing going for you but Negativity, Take away and never replace–the Prog and Enviro Motto.
I should say here that I do make a distinction between real environmental protection activists and their organizations and what has passed for it in Humboldt County simply because most people don’t bother to check politically correct “facts” and often just go with the loudest voices of the fame junkies and headline hunters. Protesting is so easy to do compared with really digging in and doing the job the right way like Northcoast Regional Land Trust for example vs. EPIC egos..
“the fact is, NOTHING any Prog or enviro asshole can do will stop the inevitable railway from being reestablished in Humboldt County”
You may be right Stevie, that Lil’ Speeder will continue to run around the bay every 4th of July
That’s the railway you’re referring to, correct?
“…people like you, Joel, were more intent on slandering the opposition than telling the truth.”
This from Stephen Lewis, who calls people “prog assholes,” among other things.
Oh, I’m sorry “prog enviro assholes.”
Steven Lewis must be off his meds
I pray for him tonight.
In Jesus name we pray for Steven Lewis. Let him see the light, o Lord…
I don’t usually use such strong language to describe environmental and Progressive activists other than “enviro” and “Prog” but now I’ve come to the conclusion “assholes” is the appropriate term for EPIC, for the defunct Humboldt Watershed Council except for its Prog rep, Mark Lovelace, for Heraldo identity fraud and for all of you who chime in on these boards as A-Number One assholes trying everyday to hurt the citizens of Humboldt County. For almost two decades it was enviro fame junkies siccing everyone on Palco while Humboldt streams and creeks were being trashed by homesteaders milked for their donations to these environmental fraud groups like EPIC and HWC, only out to lawsuit their way into power politics, ala Mark Lovelace, ala EPIC’s now fairly gigantic budget for being environmental ambulance chasers. Then, having more or less destroyed Palco both ways, Hurwitz and EPIC lawsuits all of which hurt the timber workers. And please, don’t hand us the line the old growth trees were “saved” which is pure bullshit. Only our Heartlands Project would have saved the thousands of old growth trees but there again asshole enviros and Progs attacked us just as they do anything positive for the community’s people. And that’s why I say “asshole” isn’t name-calling but an accurate description of people using politics to hurt our citizens and our lands.
Someone’s feelings are hurt.
You can stuff your heartlands project up your shitpipe Steven
I don’t usually use such strong language to describe Steve and his imaginary associates other than “nut” and “whack-job” but now I’ve come to the conclusion “asshole” is the appropriate term.
” I don’t usually use such strong language to describe Steve ans his imaginary associates other than “nut” and “whack-job” but now I’ve come tothe conclusion “asshole” is the appropriate term.”
This from Joel Mielke the cartoonist, who weekly belittles Humboldt’s poor and working class….pot/kettle/black.
I’m happy for Mr. Connors that he has achieved class consciousness, but like so many Marxists, he lacks a sense of humor.
The scope of the climate problem cannot be understated. The problem is going to get much worse. It’s ridiculous to even consider the building of more strip malls and expedited logging infrastructure as being advanced social practices. It’s insane to follow through such considerations. Humboldt County can be the world’s leader in planning for the real long term instead.
Brian Connors, PL casualty
Is It’s comment is classic enviro fear mongering. It’s the virtually the same rap they gave for 20 years to justify wasting everyone’s time and letting the real environmental crisis go unchecked. What was that rap for 20 years? Logging is killing the planet. No trees will be left and Humboldt County in ruins from clearcuts from end to end. I do wish these people would take some time to talk to people who’ve lived here long enough to see that despite dire predictions of ruination our trees, no matter how badly harvested for profit by gypo logging of all sizes, grow back. And why is that? Because this region grows trees like few other regions in the world. It would take a much greater climate impact than humans to cause our local climate to radically change. Intense volcanism is about the only thing that can do it and our volcano belt is northeast and east of us with no unusual signs of imminent eruptions although with shifting plate tectonics creating the material for magma eruptions there could be more vulcanism in our future and climate change resulting from that. But are we to plan for that or asteroid impact or worldwide plague? See what I mean? We plan for our local conditions that have been pretty stable for the last 4 or 5 thousand years.
You shot yourself in the foot point blank with your comment @ 1:33pm, Steve. Maybe you’re right, maybe we’re all hallucinating the state of our environment and economy.
I’m sure that Steve is an authority in climate change, tectonics, vulcanism and “the real environmental crisis.”
Either that, or he’s just some dude with strong opinions.
What will kill the E-W rail link won’t be Steve’s “prog enviro assholes” but plain old Republican-beloved economics. The cost of obtaining, constructing and maintaining the right of way will simply be too great compared to the profits to be derived from it.
Let’s look at per-mile cost: “to add an additional main line to an existing railroad is about $2 to $3 million per mile in 2008 (http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1700532). Another estimate was $5 million/mile for restoration of an existing passenger line in NJ. Now these are existing, flatland lines.
Distance from Fairhaven to Anderson via Korbel as straight lines is 107 mi. Including the need to foillow topography, the ground distance would probably be 130 -150 mi. At $5 million per mile for 130 mi that would be a cost of $650 million. And that DOESN’T include the cost of acquiring right of way, constructing in mountainous terrain, bridge-building, permitting etc. The cost of building the line could easily be $1 billion or more.
Then there’s cost of maintaining the line — much of the area is very slide prone, and there’s snow in winter too.
Is there going to be sufficient return on this investment from possible logging and trans-shipping? Consider that despite running the NWP in the heyday of logging, Southern Pacific jettisoned it as soon as the federal government deregulated railroads. Why? Simply because the cost of maintaining the line was greater than the profit that could be made.
Now if you can sucker the state or the federal government into ponying up the money to build the line (i.e., OUR money, not that of investors) then the economics (for the investors) might make more sense.
One other thing. If you take 130 mi as the distance, then Mr. Arkley’s hour-and-a-half to Anderson would mean the train would have to average slightly over 60 mi/hr. Freight trains in mountainous territory don’t run that fast — you’d be lucky to see 45 mi/hr.
Brian, why didn’t you ask Mr. Arkley about the possibility of transporting coal across that rail line…coal destined for China. Surely no one imagines that it will be lumber! (You may want to read the Time Magazine article from last June) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2116131-3,00.html
Lee Miller, Brian Papstien only asks Rob Arkley questions that were prepared by Rob Arkley
One ship off loading 1500 cars pays $175 per car in taxes.(based on info for port of Stockton).
Thats $262,500 per ship in just taxes.
$1,313,500 per week.
$5,250,000 per month.
What an idiot. East-West rail is as viable as a Home Depot or container facility on the Bay…..not happening. period. Talk about betting on losers. Great posts, good data, but realize this guy listens to anyone that doesn’t reside in his head or his wallet. funny, funny stuff.
I’m wondering, Monte, why a shipper would want to go to a remote port like Eureka, rather than simply go through Oakland.
Coal.
Pete Nichols, in the Baykeeper settlement with CUE IV, didn’t they promise to clean the site within a certain timeframe? Can you please explain their obligation to the cleaning of the parcel?
Good question, I have many questions of my own. The only difference between you and me is I am willing to support a feasibilty study to answer these questions. If I answer your question with the fact that Humboldt is a day closer to the rail link, I’m sure you will have rebuttle of some kind. I don’t wish to get into a tit for tat that gets us nowhere.
The “what an idiot” comment was uncalled for.
Oh I dunno..I’m seeing where “idiot” is a highly appropriate term for all you Prog types who seem to have never cracked a history book and really think a tiny elite of political hucksters can stop social and economic development driven by the natural demands stemming from population increase. I mean it’s like you guys trying to stop the wagon trains from going West telling the homesteaders “Oh no, don’t do it! There’s injuns and horrible deserts and nothing will grow there, why waste your time?” Same mentality in Europe telling Columbus and his men they”ll fall off the edge of the world.
Well, all I can say, (not really, I can say lot’s) is “Good Luck” with that idio….anti-progressive paradigm. It worked so well to keep Walmart out of Humboldt County..
Hey, Joel, did you know I’m a cartoonist too? Staff cartoonist for high school paper and The Pelican, Berkeley’s humor mag way back when radical activism meant something more than filing a lawsuit.
Except in the case of Steve.
Sounds like Steve’s life is spiraling out of control
I see my Proggie fan club is ready for more. Well, that’s what they pay me the big bucks for, instilling wisdom and compassion within rank Proggie and enviro, oops, make that within the ranks of Proggie and enviros who sorely need to wash the huckster residue off from decades of enviro self-promotion and economic warfare coming at the cost of truth, e.g. this blatant example of continuing EPIC ripoff of homesteaders.
See what NCJ is promoting?
“Environmental Protection Information Center celebrates with the vibrant, high-energy music of Delhi 2 Dublin. Doors at 6 p.m. for dinner and cocktails, concert at 9 p.m. All proceeds benefit the wildlife and wild places of Northwest California. $25. wildcalifornia.org. 822-7711.”
“All proceeds benefit the wildlife and wild places of Northwest California…$25”..
Yeah, sure, just like EPIC’s 20 year run in SoHum so “benefited” SoHum’s wildlife and wild places. Where the fish don’t run, can’t swim for sure, because homesteaders EPIC uses for money are taking all the fishes and wildlife’s water away from them. And does EPIC care about this? No. Homesteaders don’t have deep enough pockets for EPIC appetites so EPIC tells them to pony up more money to attack their Humboldt neighbors to the north, put them out of work, that’ll show ’em, show those timber workers counterculture hipsters they can’t pollute the environment, only dope-growing hipsters are allowed to do that according to EPIC ethics because dope-growing hipsters can be so easily talked into giving EPIC money while those pesky timber workers won’t for some strange reason.
DO NOT GO TO EPIC’s money grubbing party. Sorry, Rick, but you should know better than to let EPIC use you for bait for more money.
Ha ha, Steven Lewis, he used to be an evirofreak, then went gay and magically turned into one of us rednecks
STFU Steve!!!
Point 5 is kind of weird. I always thought forest products were exported across the blue Pacific on ships, not trucks.
GFY, Pete Nichols. You’re just another poser like the rest of the “experts” at Baykeeper, EPIC, NCEC, HWC, and so forth.