| Humboldt County, CA | November 4, 2003 Election |
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Calpine LNG Terminal and Other Important IssuesBy David ElsebuschCandidate for Trustee; Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District; Division 5 |
This information is provided by the candidate | |
Harbor District's plans and activities should have full and timely public disclosure and public hearings on issues that have major impacts on the communityCalpine Corporation is considering a project to bring in liquified natural gas in huge, 1,000 feet long, tankers, transfer the liquified gas to 155 foot by 250 foot high tanks on the harbor and pipe the gas to Red Bluff. I feel strongly that this project should be rejected by the community and the Harbor District. It seems like lunacy to site such an inherently dangerous facility on Humboldt Bay and place tens of thousands of people and the environment at risk. The California Energy Commission Staff White Paper covers risks and siting issues and summarizes the key safety and environmental issues that need to be addressed. The paper states the terminals should not be located in seismically active areas, prevailing winds affect maneuverability of the 125 foot tall ships ships when docking, and tidal and wave forces might jeopardize the transfer from the ship and cause a spill. The fact that the activities would occur in a seismically active area should have eliminated the project, if for no other reason, and the potential for accidents and terrorist activities wouldn't even have to be considered. Then there is the matter of maneuvering huge ships in the bay and excluding other activities for 12 to 15 hours while the dangerous transfers takes place. Continuous dredging to accommodate the large ships would have undesirable environmental effects. A recent Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice states, regarding the effect of dredging in the bay on eelgrass: "Whether it's done for channel-deepening or aquaculture, dredging is an adverse impact to bay habitats. Phillips (Phillips, 1984) states that, of all of the possible impacts, dredging poses the greatest threat to the eelgrass ecosystem. Not only are the plants removed, but the entire physical, biological, and chemical structure of the ecosystem is changed through dredging. The extent of the area affected by dredging depends on the tidal range, current strength, and sediment texture of a given area." Calpine may come to town and spread a lot of money around and offer some jobs, but the costs and hazards far outweigh the benefits. The supply of liquid natural gas from various parts of the world is not guaranteed (as has been demonstrated in Bolivia), and Calpine could cut-and-run, leaving blight behind them and some huge ugly tanks. The Harbor District has the ability to stop this project in its tracks by taking a position and refusing to grant the necessary permits. This important issue should come before the full board at a public hearing to permit interested citizens to comment and provide input. The proposal to collect river water in bags and float them out of the bay to Southern California is being studied. If that proposal arises again, it should be strongly opposed. Due to decreased commercial use, water is now available, but once a deal is made to export our river water, it could not be rescinded or canceled even if we had drought conditions or a local need was identified. The incumbents running for reelection have recently come up with a scheme to make a deal with the Port of Oakland to receive their overflow shipping. That may create a few jobs for dock workers but would have little effect on other trades. An operating railroad is necessary for the overflow shipping, but this may not occur for many years if ever. What type of ships do you think the Oakland Port would divert to Humboldt Bay? Leaky old rust buckets from China? That is the type most likely to pollute and introduce foreign undesirable biological species. "Bad" eel grass (Zostera Japonica) has already been introduced and has become so invasive it requires removal. This kind of deal should be opened to a public hearing for comment and input before an agreement is signed. I will ensure transparency of the Harbor District's plans and activities by full, public disclosure and call for public hearings on issues that have major impacts on the community such as the Calpine LNG proposal, developing the bay as a container port and the export of water. The full board must make decisions, after public input and one or two Commissioners should not make independent deals or committments. |
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ca/hm Created from information supplied by the candidate: November 2, 2003 18:11
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