The Humboldt County Supervisors will be considering a resolution opposing the storage and handling of coal at their meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, October 5th, 2021. Please join us in supporting their resolution and encouraging them to show support for the Great Redwood Trail by coordinating with the North Coast Railroad Authority to support railbanking.
Instructions for calling in to Supervisors meeting
When the Board of Supervisors announce the agenda item that you wish to comment on, call the conference line (720) 707-2699, enter Meeting ID 820 5963 6024 and turn off your TV or live stream, and press star (*) 9 on your phone, this will raise your hand. You’ll continue to hear the Board meeting on the call.
When it is time for public comment on the item you wish to speak on, the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors staff will unmute your phone. You’ll hear a prompt that will indicate your phone is unmuted. Staff will then ask you to state your name and begin your comment. You will have 3 minutes to comment.
Suggested talking points:
- Pass the resolution to oppose coal trains running through the Eel River canyon and Old Town Eureka to Humboldt Bay.
- I support the Great Redwood Trail, a 320-mile multi-use trail which would connect Humboldt Bay to San Francisco and be a world-class outdoor recreation destination.
- Coal dust is a public health hazard. Coal dust contains Particulate Matter 2.5, which can contribute to asthma, prenatal complications, respiratory illness, and cardiac disease.
- Exposure to PM 2.5 has been linked to increased mortality from Covid 19.
- There is no safe level of exposure to PM 2.5. Communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and lower-income communities bear a disproportionate burden from air pollution which would be worsened by the addition of coal dust in our communities from any sites storing and handling coal.
- Contamination from coal dust will negatively impact aquafarming and other businesses reliant on Humboldt Bay.
- Train derailments were common through the Eel River canyon when the line was active over 20 years ago, running coal trains along the river presents a high potential for environmental disaster.
- Each car on a coal train releases 500 to 2,000 pounds of coal dust, which contains arsenic, lead, mercury, chromium, nickel, selenium, and other toxic heavy metals. A typical 125-car coal train could release up to 250,000 pounds of coal per trip.
Email Public Comment: To submit your public comment to the Board please email cob@co.humboldt.ca.us, vbass@co.humboldt.ca.us, rbohn@co.humboldt.ca.us, mike.wilson@co.humboldt.ca.us, smadrone@co.humboldt.ca.us, mbushnell@co.humboldt.ca.us provide your name and the agenda item number (H2) on which you wish to comment. All public comments submitted after the agenda has been published will be included with the administrative record after the fact.