Trespass Cannabis Grows Polluting Surface Waters?

Trespass cannabis grows, those rogue operations of pot production on public land, often employ chemicals banned for sale in the United States. Past research has demonstrated that these chemicals have poisoned rare and endangered species like the Pacific fisher, Humboldt marten, and northern spotted owl. But what are they doing to our aquatic environment? Dr. … Read more

Cannabis Mitigation Grant Program Applications Due Oct. 31

Back in August the Humboldt County Supervisors finally approved the Cannabis Mitigation Grant Program that resulted from our 2019 legal settlement. This grant program designates funding from cannabis fines and penalties to be spent on sediment reduction projects on public and private roads serving cannabis operations in priority watersheds. After some initial spending by public … Read more

Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approves Cannabis Mitigation and Remediation Program

Cannabis growing in Humboldt County

For immediate release Tuesday, August 17, 2021 For more information: Alicia Hamann, Executive Director, alicia(at)eelriver.org Grant Funds Now Available through Humboldt County Cannabis Mitigation Program Friends of the Eel River (FOER) are pleased the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has approved the Cannabis Mitigation and Remediation Grant Program. This program to fund sediment reduction projects … Read more

FOER comments Proposed Phase 3 Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance

Mendocino Board of Supervisors 501 Low Gap Road Ukiah CA 95482 Submitted by ecomment March 21, 2021 Re: Proposed Phase 3 Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance Dear Supervisors, Friends of the Eel River respectfully joins the environmental community of Mendocino County in urging you to find a better course for the future of commercial cannabis … Read more

Illegal Marijuana Grow Sites: A Stain on Public Lands

At first glance, California’s 45 million acres of public lands seem like havens for recreation and wildlife. But off the beaten path, away from the maintained trails and people, there is a different story. Some of these secluded areas are being overrun with illegal marijuana growing operations, resulting in degraded habitat and toxic trash that leads … Read more

Scoping Comments – Environmental Impact Report for Amendments to Hum Co Code Regulating Commercial Cannabis Activities

Tuesday, May 9, 2017   Humboldt County Planning & Building Department Attn: Steve Lazar, Senior Planner 3015 H Street Eureka, CA 95501-4484 via email to slazar@co.humboldt.ca.us Re:       Scoping Comments – Environmental Impact Report for Amendments to Humboldt County Code Regulating Commercial Cannabis Activities Dear Mr. Lazar, The following comments are offered on behalf of the … Read more

Backcountry Drug War

In the Golden State, dangerous drug cartels are growing pot on public lands—putting wildlife, water supplies, and outdoor enthusiasts at grave risk. Read the original article here and enjoy the spectacular photographs. In the gray half-light of dawn, eight figures creep through the dry pine forest near Quincy, California. Seven of them wear camo uniforms … Read more

How Changing Marijuana Laws May Affect California’s Water and Wildlife

Northern California has become the center of the state’s cannabis-growing industry, with inevitable environmental consequences. Will legalization and new regulations ease its impact or make the situation worse? IN NOVEMBER 2016, California legalized recreational marijuana. The decision, supported by 56 percent of the state’s voters, allows marijuana to be shared, traded, grown at home and smoked … Read more

Too Much Weed! Cannabis Applications Making Planning Staff Sick and Must Be Paused, Management Says

Senior staff with County of Humboldt’s planning and building department say that experienced planners are falling physically ill and preparing to flee the department due to the “untenable level of stress” placed on them by the county’s new commercial cannabis ordinance. They say that the amount of staff time sucked up by the ordinance has … Read more

'Fish, Flows and Marijuana Grows': Live-Blogging Senator McGuire's Hearing Examining Impacts of Marijuana Grows on State's Fisheries

“In our fourth year of this historic drought, we have to find ways to protect our fisheries from the impacts of the driest years on record, and the devastating impacts of rogue marijuana grows. The combination of the drought and rogue grows have resulted in unprecedented damage to our state’s watersheds, they have put endangered … Read more