In the News
Lawmakers await revamped permitting bill
by Nick Sobczyk and Kelsey Brugger
Lawmakers are bracing for a revamped version of Sen. Joe Manchin’s permitting overhaul while congressional leaders continue to negotiate a deal with the West Virginia Democrat. Manchin confirmed Monday that he has been working on changes to the draft permitting reform legislation he first circulated in September. Democratic leaders are hoping to attach the new language to the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act to honor a deal they struck with Manchin in August in exchange … Continue Reading
December 02, 2022
House Dems release bill to study floating solar panels
by Lamar Johnson
Democratic Reps. Paul Tonko of New York and Jared Huffman of California introduced a bill Thursday that would task a pair of agencies with further studying the feasibility of using floating solar panels to increase solar energy production. The bill, called "Protect Our Water and Expand Renewables (POWER) on our Reservoirs Act," would have the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation conduct a feasibility study that would examine using floating solar panels on reservoirs they … Continue Reading
December 02, 2022
New plastics bill emphasizes climate change, justice
by E.A. Crunden
Anti-plastics Democrats are ramping up their efforts to target the oil- and gas-derived product, which they link to both climate change and environmental justice crises. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) unveiled legislation Thursday that would crack down on plastics production and make strides towards shifting the country away from single-use materials. The "Protecting Communities From Plastics Act" targets petrochemical and waste incineration facilities along with … Continue Reading
December 02, 2022
Biden's angered allies
by Debra Kahn, Jordan Wolman, Allison Prang
POLITICAL PLASTICITY — At least some Democrats are thinking plastics legislation will have a chance next year in a split Congress. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced a bill Thursday to curb permitting of new and expanded plastic production, including chemical recycling facilities, which industry is extremely bullish on, as Jordan reported earlier this week. They’re taking a second swing after their Break Free From Plastic … Continue Reading
December 01, 2022
McEachin’s death revives push for vote on EJ bill
by Emma Dumain and Nick Sobczyk
The sudden death of Rep. Donald McEachin has strengthened the resolve of some of his colleagues to push for a vote on the environmental justice legislation he long championed. A House vote on the "Environmental Justice for All Act" would be a capstone to years of work by McEachin (D-Va.) and community activists who for decades were largely ignored by Congress and the broader environmental movement. The bill, H.R. 2021, has almost no chance of passing the Senate, and it’s possible … Continue Reading
November 21, 2022
EPA Acknowledges Plans to Look at Crypto Energy Usage, Emissions
by Stephen Lee
The EPA is working on recommendations from a September White House report that raised grave concerns about cryptocurrency’s effect on the climate, the agency told lawmakers in a letter. The agency recently sent a response to 23 House Democrats who had asked the Biden administration for more information about efforts to address cryptocurrency’s energy usage and emissions, according to a copy of the letter seen by Bloomberg Law. ... The EPA’s response has mollified … Continue Reading
November 17, 2022
‘A new day is dawning’: Nancy Pelosi to step down as Democratic leader but will stay in Congress
by Joe Garofoli & Shira Stein
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who made history as the first female speaker of the House and has been the driving force behind landmark legislation, will step down from House leadership, but the 82-year-old Democrat said Thursday that she will continue to represent San Francisco. Pelosi’s future was cast in doubt after Republicans squeaked out a surprisingly narrow victory in the House. She has said that the brutal attack on husband Paul Pelosi in their San Francisco home last month shaped her … Continue Reading
November 17, 2022
It’s official: FERC approves removal of Klamath dams
by Sonia Waraich
It’s been 20 years in the making, but the last hurdle in the path of dam removal in the Klamath River has been cleared. “The Klamath salmon are coming home,” Yurok Chairman Joseph James said in a statement. “The people have earned this victory and with it, we carry on our sacred duty to the fish that have sustained our people since the beginning of time.” On Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the license surrender order for the Lower … Continue Reading
November 14, 2022
Climate summit highlights needs of poorer countries, says North Bay congressman
by Jeffrey Schaub
A coalition of United States Congress members led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi has returned from the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt. One of those is North Bay Congressman Jared Huffman who serves on several House of Representatives climate panels. Huffman represents several counties, including Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte counties. "We're trying to show the world that the United States is walking the walk," he said. "We've … Continue Reading
November 14, 2022
Jared Huffman tours COP 27, talks climate change
by Jackson Guilfoil
Last week, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-02) visited Egypt as part of the congressional delegation for the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP 27. Huffman was able to share the progress Humboldt County has made on its proposed offshore wind farm, which he supports, but noted that Humboldt County also needs to focus on forest and coastal resilience in addition to mitigating the effects of sea level rise and maintaining healthy, carbon-sequestering soils. “No one should … Continue Reading
October 29, 2022
More than $8 million in federal grant money will go toward fixing North Coast ports
by CARLY WIPF
EUREKA, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration awarded more than $8 million in funds to fix up two ports along the North Coast, including one in Eureka and another in Crescent City. Six-hundred and fifty-thousand of those dollars will go toward repairing sections of Eureka’s Fishermen’s Terminal dock, precisely 40 broken or lost fender pilings on a quay used by Humboldt Bay fisherman. The City of Crescent City will receive $7,366,566 for … Continue Reading
October 27, 2022
‘Historic’ day for Humboldt County offshore wind project
by Ruth Schneider
Local and federal lawmakers and stakeholders in the proposed offshore wind project off the coast of Humboldt County celebrated a milestone Thursday afternoon, announcing a new partnership that will help prepare the port for the industry. Crowley Wind Services, a company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, will serve as the developer of the heavy lift marine terminal on a 180-acre site on the Samoa Peninsula. The terminal is projected to be the second-largest in the United States … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
In tight Alaska House race, Mary Peltola runs 'pro-fish' campaign
by Maxine Joselow
In tight reelection race, Rep. Mary Peltola runs ‘pro-fish’ campaign and backs controversial oil project. In her closely watched quest to win reelection in a red state, Alaska Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola has sought to emphasize a unique issue: fish. ... Then-Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who died in March and frequently clashed with environmentalists over nearly five decades in office, agreed with Democrats that Peltola would be the perfect … Continue Reading
October 21, 2022
US Representative Jared Huffman: MSA reauthorization unlikely to pass this term
by Chris Chase
The U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife may have passed H.R. 4690 – the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act, the latest attempt to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) – but U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) believes the chances of it passing this session are slim. The bill was approved by the committee on 29 September, 2022, leaving a … Continue Reading
October 19, 2022
States with poor climate policy ‘overlap’ with those seeking to limit rights, Kamala Harris says
by ANUMITA KAUR, HAYLEY SMITH
SAN FRANCISCO — After a summer of national and global climate devastation, Vice President Kamala Harris made a stop at the Cowell Theater on Tuesday to tout Democrats’ progress on climate policy just weeks before the midterm elections. During a wide-ranging conversation with podcasters Leah Stokes and Katharine Wilkinson for their show, “A Matter of Degrees,” Harris spoke about her Bay Area roots, the Inflation Reduction Act and environmental justice … Continue Reading
October 18, 2022
BOEM announces December auction date for offshore wind leases
by Sonia Waraich
The last quarter of this year is going to be a big one for offshore wind energy on the West Coast, and the head of the harbor district says that makes it “an absolutely exciting time for the port of Humboldt Bay.” “There’s a number of really exciting and key decisions that are going to start happening one after another over the next few months,” Larry Oetker, executive director of the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District, told The … Continue Reading
October 14, 2022
Downtown Petaluma post office renamed for former Rep. Lynn Woolsey
by DON FRANCES
Dozens gathered outside the downtown Petaluma post office building Friday to pay homage to former U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey, a pioneering lawmaker after whom the historic building has been officially renamed. “As you can see from this crowd here, Lynn Woolsey has many admirers from across the city and across the state,” said U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, in kicking off the event. He was joined by fellow U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, who also spoke glowingly of the … Continue Reading
October 13, 2022
Warren, Dems seek answers on crypto impact on Texas grid
by Jason Plautz
Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren are probing how the cryptocurrency mining industry affects the main Texas grid, citing concerns about reliability and climate change. In a Wednesday letter, Warren and six other Democratic lawmakers asked the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for data on the power used by crypto mining operations, the associated carbon dioxide emissions and the impact on electricity costs to Texans. The letter also asked for details on payments to … Continue Reading
October 13, 2022
Students talk to local leaders about civics
by Staff Writer
Humboldt County high school students and their social science teachers will meet with local leaders to discuss how government works in a new Zoom series coordinated by the Humboldt County Office of Education. “All About Civics” Zoom meetings will feature elected leaders, presented in one-hour forums throughout the month of October. There are currently openings for more students to participate. ... Local elected leaders who are invited to participate in the series include U.S. … Continue Reading
October 07, 2022
Ceremony Saturday To Mark 5 Years Since Deadly North Bay Wildfires
by Staff writer
Sonoma County and the city of Santa Rosa are holding a ceremony Saturday to mark the five-year anniversary of the deadly and devastating 2017 wildfires. The ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. at Coffey Neighborhood Park, part of an area of Santa Rosa that burned in the North Bay fires of Oct. 8, 2017. ... Saturday's event will include several speakers, including Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Rogers, county Supervisors James Gore and Susan Gorin, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, state Sen. Mike McGuire, … Continue Reading