On this week&apos;s EcoNews Report, Gang Green breaks down redistricting efforts at the state and county. Could draft maps splitting Eureka apart be an attempt to draw Supervisor candidate Natalie Arroyo out of her district? Is the state serious about lumping Humboldt with Redding? Our politics will be shaped by mapping decisions for the next decade so you better to pay attention!”Redistricting Surprise? The County’s Advisory Committee is Looking Seriously at a Plan That Would Move a Distant Quarter of Eureka Into Arcata’s Supervisorial District,” Lost Coast Outpost, Oct. 5.”The County’s Draft Redistricting Maps Have Been Released, and a Couple of Them Are Real Doozies,” Lost Coast Outpost, Oct. 11.”A WEDDING to REDDING? There Are Ideas to Join Us With Shasta County at the State and Federal Level, and the State Citizens’ Redistricting Commission Would Like Your Feedback,” Lost Coast Outpost, Oct. 14.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

EcoNews Report

Redistricting Ruckus

Eureka&apos;s Broadway is one the most dangerous streets in California for pedestrians. In the last decade alone, at least 10 people have been killed and at least 14 people severely injured while walking or biking on Broadway. What is being done about it? Colin Fiske of the Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities joins Gang Green to talk about what fixes can and should be undertaken immediately to make the roadway safer for all road users. Want to take action? Sign the petition to Caltrans to demand immediate improvements here. Have you felt unsafe as a pedestrian? Mark the location to help drive improvements. Required Reading:Eureka May Propose New Roads Through Wetlands to Improve Broadway Corridor; Opponents Say Plans Aren’t FeasibleCoalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities Holding Memorial on Friday for People Killed By CarsPreviously on EcoNews Report: Building Cities for People, Not CarsSupport the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Broadway: Dangerous by Design?

In a set back to the Two Basin Partnership — which sought to gain control over the two fish-blocking dams on the Eel River — FERC denied a request for a delay by the coalition, damaging their chances at gaining control (and forestalling decommissioning of the dams). Friends of the Eel River think that this is BIG win for the salmon of the Eel River and dam removal of both Scott and Cape Horn Dam now seems more likely. Listen to learn more!REQUIRED READING:”Regional Coalition Looking to Take Over Potter Valley Project Hits Snag as FERC Denies Request for Extra Time,” Lost Coast Outpost, Sept. 23, 2021.”ECONEWS REPORT: Friends of the Eel River Force FERC to Comply with the Endangered Species Act,” April 3, 2021.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Eel River Salmon Win Before FERC

The City of Eureka&apos;s wastewater treatment facility releases its treated wastewater into Humboldt Bay near its facility by the Elk River. Nearby, surfers play at Stinky Beach and Humboldt Bay residents collect seafood. The City had been operating on the assumption that the treated sewage discharged from its Elk River Wastewater Treatment plant washes out to sea, but a 2014 study determined that much more of the treated sewage remains in Humboldt Bay than was previously understood. In 2016, the City was ordered by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board to “cease and desist” discharging into Humboldt Bay and move to an ocean discharge by 2030. The City is instead asking for an exemption to existing water quality rules so it can continue pumping up to 12 million gallons of treated sewage into the bay near the Elk River Spit. Surfrider Foundation and Humboldt Baykeeper are asking the City to thoroughly examine the feasibility of moving to an ocean discharge or to commit to significant upgrades that will improve water quality in Humboldt Bay and that they hold at least one public workshop on the matter. Jen Kalt of Humboldt Baykeeper and Delia Bense-Kang of the Surfrider Foundation join the show to talk about where your waste goes when you flush and the impacts to Humboldt Bay.Read More:City of Eureka Seeks to Allow Sewage to Stay in Humboldt BaySupport the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

What Smells at Stinky Beach?

A shadowy shell corporation is threatening our future with an apparent proposal to purchase the Northwestern Pacific rail line, kill the dream of the Great Redwood Trail, and ultimately export coal to Asia from Humboldt Bay. Tune in to hear your friends from Friends of the Eel River, Humboldt Baykeeper, and EPIC discuss the details of how such an absurd proposal is even possible, and why we must take this threat seriously and fight it with everything we&apos;ve got!REQUIRED READING:Aiming to Ship Coal Out of Humboldt Bay, Shadowy Corporation Makes Bid to Take Over NCRA Line Lost Coast Outpost, Sept. 2.North Coast lawmakers gearing up to battle coal export proposal tied to Humboldt Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Sept. 3.Is coal industry behind secretive plan to preserve a defunct California railroad? Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 9.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Dirty Coal Coming to Town?!

What would Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir talk about if they were alive today? A bushy bearded naturalist meets a pragmatic politician, both with an unabiding love of nature confronting climate change, colonization, fire, and how to conserve the planet in the 21st Century.Well, we have the next best thing: Best-selling author, naturalist and painter Obi Kauffman joins Gang Green to talk about his friendship with California Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and the premiere of a short film where they following in the footsteps of Muir and Roosevelt on a camping trip in the Sierra Buttes.When a naturalist with a breathtaking artistic vision and a political pragmatist with 19,000 employees and a four billion dollar budget come together to solve pressing issues of California’s lands, where do they begin? As Muir said, “The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.”Join Obi and Wade on September 9, 2021, to explore California’s nature and engage in deep conversation on urgent topics, including wildfires, water shortage, climate change, and an action plan to be better stewards of the Golden State’s biodiversity. Live Q&A with attendees following the event.Tickets at this link.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Walking in the Footsteps of Roosevelt and Muir

Humboldt State professor Sarah Jaquette Ray talks with hosts Tom Wheeler and Alicia Hamann about how to avoid burnout, why peddling hope and leveraging guilt are not effective, and how we can move past the illusion of partisan division to working toward climate justice.A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety, by Sarah Jaquette Ray. University of California Press.Sarah&apos;s book is available  at Eureka Books and Northtown Books in Arcata. This show originally aired on May 10, 2020, but is as relevant today as it was then - perhaps more than ever,  as  drought and wildfires intensify here in California, and Hurricane Ida bears down on the Gulf Coast on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

An Existential Toolkit for the Climate Generation

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most recent report is clear: the climate crisis is here and humans are causing it. Gang Green break down the major conclusions of the report and have a mild on-air existential crisis. The threat of climate change is immense and our collective response has been flaccid. Can we change the trajectory in time to avoid run-away warming? And how can Humboldt respond as a county? All this and more on this week’s show.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

The Climate Crisis is Here

Folks, it’s that time of year again! Coastal Cleanup Month 2021 promises to bring all the great elements of the last few years together for an event packed with citizen science, coastal stewardship, and fun prizes. Last year, COVID precautions turned a two day event into a month-long one, and we couldn’t have been happier with the results. We’ll be continuing that new tradition this year, with cleanups taking place every weekend of September. This year’s event will also be entirely zero waste, with reusable cleanup gear being supplied by the NEC. Volunteers can also look forward to a weekly raffle full of fun prizes from local businesses. Grab your family and friends and head to your favorite beach, park, street, or trail...We’d love for you to join us this year! Check out our website to learn more about Coastal Cleanup Month 2021 and how to participate! https://www.yournec.org/coastalcleanupmonthSupport the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Coastal Cleanup Month

The barred owl, not native to California, is quickly becoming established in the state, having flown down the West Coast. The barred owl’s presence is bad news for its cousin, the northern spotted owl, the iconic species of the Timber Wars. The barred owl outcompetes the northern spotted owl and quickly takes over its territory. With the northern spotted owl on the road to extinction, now is the time for desperate measures. To save the northern spotted owl, researchers have tested whether killing barred owls makes a difference. The grim but good news: when barred owls are removed, population declines of the northern spotted owl stabilize. Owl researcher Dave Wiens joins Gang Green to discuss the results of his recent research.REQUIRED READING:”Invader removal triggers competitive release in a threatened avian predator,” David Wiens et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Aug. 3, 2021.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

To Save an Owl, We Kill an Owl?

Offshore wind has a lot to offer: Humboldt’s wind resources are virtually unmatched in North America and we have the potential to produce gigawatts of low-carbon power off our coast and Humboldt Bay is one of the few ports on the West Coast capable of assembling the monster 600+ foot tall turbines, creating the potential that Humboldt Bay could become the American center of offshore wind technology. But the technology offers risks to the environment and the severity of these risks is hard to gauge because the technology has not been deployed in our ocean environments before.The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is close to opening up the coast for competitive bids for development. What is in store for Humboldt County? Matthew Marshall from the Redwood Coast Energy Authority joins Gang Green to discuss.REQUIRED READING:“Redwood Coast Offshore Wind,” Redwood Coast Energy Authority.Schatz Energy Research Center&apos;s offshore wind energy page features 24 reports (and that&apos;s just the first set!), recordings of panel discussions from Fall 2020, and more. Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Charting a Course for Offshore Wind

Following the 2020, California is set to redraw its legislative maps and for the first time in our state’s history, we are set to lose a congressional seat. What does this mean for Humboldt? Guest Sam Sukaton of the California League of Conservation Voters joins Gang Green to discuss the California Citizens Redistricting Commission and how environmental voters can better harness power to affect change.While environmental and climate justice advocates have been building a policy agenda for years, we currently do not have the political power in California to act on these solutions at the rate and scale required. The 2021 redistricting process is a unique moment to make key structural change: not only for the next legislative session, but for this final decade leading to the 2030 climate deadline.California’s Constitution requires that redistricting preserve “communities of interest”—those economic or cultural ties that bind communities together—to the maximum extent possible. The redistricting process begins by soliciting input from the public about what forms their community of interest. Unique public comments are very important to the process. There are two ways you can participate!REQUIRED READING:Do You Feel More Like Redding or San Rafael? The California Citizens Redistricting Commission Wants to KnowParticipate in a Communities of Interest Public Hearing!The Citizen Redistricting Commission is holding virtual meetings based on “zones.” Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity and Del Norte Counties are in Zone A. The Citizen Redistricting Commission is hosting a special meeting for our zone on August 23 from 1-7 p.m. Go to this link to see the meeting agenda and to register to speak! Each speaker will get up to 3 minutes.Draw Your Own Map!Don’t want to sit through a public meeting? Can’t make August? No problem! Submit your testimony online, by email or by mail.The Citizen Redistricting Commission has set up a cool website where you can draw your community of interest. Go to DrawMyCACommunity.org and follow the helpful tutorials. You can also provide input to the Commission by emailing: VotersFirstAct@crc.ca.gov (CC us at epic@wildcalifornia.org too!) or by snail mail: California Citizens Redistricting Commission, 721 Capitol Mall, Suite 260, Sacramento, CA 95814. You can even call in your comments to: (916) 323-0323.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

How Can Enviro Voters Increase their Power?

Clam Beach landed on Heal the Bay&apos;s list of California&apos;s most polluted beaches yet again this year, getting an &apos;F&apos; for water quality on the 2021 Beach Report Card. Today our guest is Dr. Jeremy Corrigan, who has worked for years to answer the burning question: why does Clam Beach have such high levels of fecal indicator bacteria? Dr. J is the Lab Manager at the Humboldt County Dept. of Public Health, and recently published a paper based on genetic analysis of the most likely sources. His findings point to birds as the main influence at Clam Beach, while cattle appear to be the biggest source of bacteria pollution in the Strawberry Creek watershed. Tune in to find out what this means for surfers and other beachgoers. For those inclined to do a deep dive:Microbial Source Tracking Approach to Investigate Fecal Waste at the Strawberry Creek Watershed and Clam Beach, California, USA by Jeremy A. Corrigan et al. 2021  Heal the Bay&apos;s 2020-21 Beach Report CardRegional Water Board&apos;s 2016-18 research on Pathogens in Coastal StreamsHumboldt Baykeeper&apos;s Water Quality Program features research involving volunteers, student interns, and local water quality expertsSupport the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Clam Beach Pollution Mystery Solved?

Only a small genetic difference separates winter-run and summer-run steelhead, but that little bit of nucleic acid makes a big difference. Last month, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to list the North Coast’s summer steelhead under the California Endangered Species Act.This week, Gang Green dives into the difference between these two runs to learn why preserving summer steelhead may be important in a warming world, why the fish are teetering on extinction, and some strange hope for a rebirth of summer steelhead after Scott Dam is removed on the Eel River.Extra-special bonus: if you are also a fish freak who loves tacos, we have just your event. This weekend, fish biologist Samantha Kannry is hosting a taco feast at her farm, with all the proceeds going to benefit steelhead research. Get stuffed on tacos and help forward science? You bet Gang Green will be there! To find out more, head to tribresearch.org/events.“FOER proclaims victory for Northern California summer steelhead.” Friends of the Eel River. June 17, 2021.Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

A Victory for Summer Steelhead

Congressman Jared Huffman joins Gang Green to talk about this legislative session. Top of his mind, as always, is his public lands bill—the “Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act”—which packs together new Wilderness designations with fuel breaks, trespass cannabis clean up, new trails and visitor centers and more. Sen. Padilla has taken up the bill in the Senate and is proving to be an effective advocate. Also on the docket is dam removal on both the Eel and Klamath Rivers, protections for forage fish in the Magnuson Stevens, and the long problem of Trump’s judiciary for the environment. Listen in!Support the show (https://www.humboldtbaykeeper.org/get-involved/donate)

Rep. Jared Huffman on Dams, Wild Places and the State of the North Coast Environment on Capitol Hill

A weekly environmental news roundup produced in Arcata, California by Tom Wheeler/Environmental Protection Information Center, Larry Glass/Northcoast Environmental Center, Scott Greacen/Friends of the Eel River, and Jen Kalt/Humboldt Baykeeper.

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EcoNews Report

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