Upcoming opportunities for leadership and learning:

• Humboldt Bay Area Plan Update
  • Public workshop on the HBAP Draft will take place at the Humboldt County Planning Commission’s meeting
    • Thursday, July 16, 6:00pm
    • Board of Supervisors Chambers (First Floor, 825 5th Street, Eureka, CA 95501)
    • Zoom link 
  • HBAP Draft proposes a port overlay zone – a zoning designation that Humboldt County is considering creating to allow development associated with the Heavy Lift Marine Terminal project, which would otherwise not fit within existing Humboldt Bay Area Plan and Local Coastal Program standards regarding issues such as structure height, lighting, and environmentally sensitive habitat areas. The HBAP establishes the land use policies, coastal resource protections, environmental justice policies, and development standards that will govern future development around Humboldt Bay. The HBAP and port overlay zone establish the policy framework and development rules that could allow the project to move forward and shape how it is designed, mitigated, and operated over the long term.
  • CORE recommends incorporating policies to reduce impacts on Samoa residents and environmental justice communities, requiring robust noise, air quality, lighting, and visual impact mitigation; protecting affordable housing, Tribal cultural resources, aquaculture, and sensitive habitats; expanding public engagement and notification; requiring decommissioning and adaptive management plans; strengthening Tribal consultation and cultural resource protections; conducting updated biological assessments; and encouraging enforceable community benefits to ensure long-term community well-being alongside economic development.
  • CORE Hub Comments
  • Other Comments
• 350 Humboldt will be the featured org at the July Solidarity gathering at Humbrews
  • Monday, July 13th, 5:00-7:00pm, Humbrews, 856 10th st, Arcata
  • The second Monday of each month Friends of the Eel River hosts solidarity gatherings for local orgs and groups to come together and share their work. Humbrews donates a portion of its sales at the gathering to participating organizations. 
  • The event will feature letter writing to jurisdictions in Humboldt that have not committed to helping fund the Regional Climate Program Manager, a key position for Humboldt to fulfill the goals of its Regional Climate Action Plan
    • GUEST OPINION: Local Climate Change Response Requires Bold Leadership. Luckily, We Have That
• Lost Coast Outpost, June 12, 2026
• Humboldt’s Regional Climate Action Plan is finished, and the region now needs to shift into implementation.The plan proposes creating a Climate Program Manager to coordinate regional climate work, convene a committee, and track progress, with all jurisdictions contributing funding. The Redwood Coast Energy Authority has offered to host and help fund the position, and Arcata, Eureka, and Humboldt County have committed their shares despite budget pressures. Smaller cities have not yet committed.The article stresses that their participation is essential. 

• Webinar: Learning from the Experts, Protected Species Observers for Offshore Wind,
  • July 15, 9:00-10:00am
  • Hosted by The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA)
  • Sarah Fortuna with A.I.S. Inc. will discuss the work of protected species observers in infrastructure development in the marine environment, including offshore wind development.
• Repair Cafe takes place on the second Sunday of every month
  • 10:00am to 2:00pm, Adorni Center in Eureka, 1011 Waterfront Dr. 
  • The Repair Café is an international movement that connects skilled volunteers with community members who have broken items in need of a second life, which keeps useful items out of the landfill. If you have a broken lamp waiting to be fixed or a hole in your favorite jeans waiting to be patched, bring them for a FREE repair.
  • If you’re interested in volunteering to be a fixer or help direct people, contact wring123@gmail.com

Recent Events and updates: 

• The Coastal Commission voted on and approved an amended version of the Humboldt County lighting ordinance on February 4, 2026. Here is the staff report with the amended changes to the ordinance doc that the Commission otherwise approved (ie: they approved the ordinance with the amended changes).
• A public meeting about the proposed heavy-lift marine terminal took place at the Arcata Community Center on June 24.
  • The terminal would provide on-shore assembly, staging and support for offshore wind farms. 
  • The Harbor District is preparing environmental documents for the project and needs community input to ensure the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) thoroughly addresses concerns surrounding the project.  
  • The state has provided funding for the terminal to continue its planning process. Reporting:
    • Offshore Wind Is Worth Getting Right — Braiding Knowledge for a Renewable Future on the North Coast – Lost Coast Outpost
• Guest Opinion- Lonyx Landry
• Now Is the Time for Community Participation in Offshore Wind Terminal Planning – Lost Coast Outpost
• Guest Opinion- Colleen Clifford

• EcoNews Report podcast: Offshore Wind Port Development
• Harbor District Officials Urge Community Involvement as Offshore Wind Terminal Project Advances to Environmental Review – Lost Coast Outpost

State and Federal Updates:

• News Release – “California Sends Notice of Intent to File Suit Challenging Trump Administration’s Unlawful Offshore Wind Deal”
  • CA Natural Resources Agency, June 23, 2026
  • California sent a Notice of Intent to Sue to the U.S. Department of the Interior regarding its  buyout of the Golden State Wind LLC offshore wind lease under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
• Trump Administration Abandons Effort to Indefinitely Pause the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting of Wind Projects
  • Press release by Attorney General Bonta, June 15, 2026
  • The Trump Administration ended its attempt to pause all federal permitting for wind projects under a “Day One” Presidential Wind Memorandum. California and a multistate coalition sued in May 2025, arguing the memorandum was unlawful. In December 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled in the states’ favor and vacated the challenged portion of the memorandum.
  • The Administration initially appealed the ruling, but later asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to dismiss its appeal. The court granted that request, leaving the district court’s decision intact and fully resolving the case in favor of the multistate coalition.
  • The memorandum had halted all federal approvals for wind projects, threatening progress on California’s five offshore wind leases, two off Humboldt County and three off Morro Bay, which are expected to supply enough clean energy to power more than 1.6 million homes. The states argued the directive jeopardized clean‑energy development, increased energy costs, and threatened major investments in wind infrastructure, workforce development, and union jobs.
• [DRAFT] California Offshore Wind Environmental Monitoring Framework 
  • June 2026
  • The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) published their draft CA Offshore Wind Environmental Monitoring Framework
  • The report was created by the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation with input from more than 200 scientific experts, working in coordination with the OPC and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It provides a statewide framework to guide the development of monitoring plans for species and habitats that could be affected by floating offshore wind projects. The document is intended to support informed decision‑making and help minimize or mitigate impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. It is grounded in scientific process and designed to advance the goals of California’s AB 525 Strategic Plan
• The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) adopted the Blueprint for Building a West Coast Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (WCSC)
  • June 16, 2026
  • The blueprint establishes a framework for coordinated, independent environmental monitoring and research to understand and minimize offshore wind impacts on the California coast. The launch of the WCSC will be delayed but this fall, the OPC will launch two near-term foundational activities to advance the Blueprint:
    • Science Questions, Priorities and Needs Assessment: A synthesis of science priorities from all available sources, providing an early look at monitoring alignment and gaps
    • Tribal Cultural Resources Monitoring Priorities and Recommendations: A tribally led effort to identify culturally appropriate approaches for monitoring place-based cultural resources, including early work on tribal data sovereignty.
  • For more information, please see the OPC meeting recording here (WCSC and Monitoring Framework presentations start at 3:51:28)
• Bill from Senator Josh Becker that aims to reduce electricity costs by reforming how California’s investor‑owned utilities earn profits and recover expenses
  • April 22, 2026
  • This press release announces a bill aimed at reducing electricity costs and limiting excessive utility profits.
• Pier T Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project NOP
  • The Port of Long Beach, acting as the CEQA lead agency, has issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) announcing that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared for the Pier T Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project.
  • The project would expand and modernize the Pier T terminal from 382 acres to about 500 acres, including wharf demolition and reconstruction, dredging up to 400,000 cubic yards, deepening portions of the West Basin, building a wharf extension, upgrading rail and truck gate facilities, installing utilities, and transitioning to zero‑emission cargo‑handling equipment. Construction would occur in phases over 17 years, allowing the terminal to handle up to 3.3 million containers annually. 
  • This NOP shows how large coastal projects are now expected to address climate impacts, federal coordination, Tribal consultation, and public engagement; all relevant to Humboldt as it prepares for offshore wind port development that will face the similar scrutiny and requirements.

Resources, Information and Academic Articles:

• Assessing the Underwater Impact of Aerodynamic Noise From Offshore Wind Turbines – Botero-Bolívar et al. 2026
  • “The growing demand for offshore wind energy has led to a significant increase in wind turbine size and to the development of large-scale wind farms, often comprising 100–150 turbines. However, the environmental impact of underwater noise emissions remains largely unaddressed. This paper quantifies the underwater aerodynamic noise footprint of three large offshore turbines (5, 10, and 22 MW) and wind farms composed of these turbines.” 
• Community benefit agreement preferences for energy development offshore California, Oregon, and Washington: Insights from a choice-based conjoint experiment – Taufiq et al. 2026
  • “Energy development projects can bring both opportunities and challenges to local host communities. Legal agreements between developers and communities can facilitate social acceptance, address distributive justice, and mitigate local impacts. While prior studies highlight the risks of poor CBA design and the importance of distributive and procedural fairness, we know little about public preferences regarding CBA design. This study addresses the gap in understanding public preferences for CBAs related to ocean-based renewable energy development.” 
  • Researchers surveyed nearly 3,000 people from California, Oregon, and Washington to see how people make tradeoffs between different features of a coastal benefits agreement.They measured how much people care about the size of the benefit, who receives it, and who manages the funds.
• China Deploys First 16MW Floating Offshore Wind Tension-Leg Platform
  • The Maritime Executive, June 30,  2026
  • “China deployed the largest tension-leg floating offshore wind platform designed to hold a 16 MW turbine. The platform was assembled at the Gaolan Port in Zhuhai, south China, and departed on June 28 for its deployment in the South China Sea. The structure stands more than 1,007 feet and weighs almost 8,000 tonnes. It is the largest of its kind, designed to support a single turbine. Once it is operational, it will generate around 54 million kWh annually. Officials said the deployment is part of China’s accelerated efforts to scale up and commercialize deep-sea floating offshore wind technology.”

In the news:

• GUEST OPINION: Investing in Humboldt County’s Energy Future
  • Lost Coast Outpost, July 5, 2026
  • By Dave Canny, vice president for PG&E’s North Coast Region
  • The piece presents recent PG&E investments as laying the foundation for Humboldt County’s future growth by increasing electric system capacity, improving reliability, and making it possible to serve more homes, businesses, and community facilities. It highlights a strategy that relies on targeted upgrades and new technologies rather than more costly traditional infrastructure expansion, describing completed and ongoing improvements to substations and transmission facilities in Southern Humboldt and the Eel River region. 
• International Offshore Wind Updates
  • Offshore WIND Biz,  July 6-10, 2026
  • This week’s offshore wind news highlights major industry momentum, including Poland receiving its first offshore wind electricity from the Baltic Power project, new UK grid investments through an HVDC cable agreement and continued progress in floating wind with milestones in France and Spain. South Korea also stood out with significant supply-chain investments, manufacturing expansion, and new vessel construction, reflecting the sector’s growing focus on scaling infrastructure, technology, and deployment worldwide.
• California awards the Port of Long Beach $338 million to purchase a battery-electric tugboat and other cargo-handling equipment and deploy 21 EV charging stations.
  • Electrek, June 30, 2026
  • The grant was issued from the state’s Port and Freight Infrastructure Program (PFIP) to support projected 22,000 clean jobs, reduce port and freight emissions, and build up a more modern, sustainable supply chain at one of America’s busiest ports. A significant portion of the $383M PFIP grant is going to SWIFT (System-Wide Investment in Freight Transport) vehicles, with a battery-electric tugboat, an even dozen heavy forklifts, and 49 examples of cargo-handling equipment. Those funds also cover the deployment of 21 charging stations, as well as three hybrid-electric or zero-emission ferries and pilot vessels. In addition to creating ~22,000 new jobs, the program’s funding will advance projects eliminating more than 12% of all carbon dioxide emissions and more than 5% of NOx emissions associated with Port-related operations annually by 2028.
• 92 gigawatts of early-stage solar, wind, and battery storage projects at risk of getting caught up in Trump Administration’s permitting blockade
  • Latitude Media, June 30, 2026
  • 92 gigawatts represents $121 billion worth of investment in projects planned on federal and private lands through 2029. The Trump administration’s permitting regime has already caused project delays and cancellations, although supply chain constraints, federal funding withdrawals, and tighter financing conditions were also to blame. Since 2025, more than 70 GW of early-stage renewable energy capacity on federal and private land has either stalled or been canceled, with ripple effects expected over the next several years. All of this is happening as U.S. electricity demand is projected to surge, especially from AI data centers, and grid operators warn of looming capacity shortfalls. Analysts note that solar, wind, and storage are the fastest resources to build and could help stabilize the grid, but the permitting blockade is slowing their deployment.
• HUMBOLDT OUTDOORS: The History of Humboldt Bay’s Jetties and How the Dolos Arrived on Our Shores
  • Lost Coast Outpost, June 27, 2026
  • Ray Olson delves into the history of the dolosse and learns how they got their unique shape. He’s joined by local historians Barry Evans and Jerry Rohde, who describe decades of failed efforts to protect the jetties from the unrelenting Pacific Ocean, and how the invention of dolosse changed the game.
• ‘Good Fire’: Local Tribes Demonstrate Traditional Practices Amid Renaissance of Prescribed Burning
  • Lost Coast Outpost, Jun 25, 2026
  • Cultural fire practitioners from the Blue Lake Rancheria, the Yurok Tribe, and CalFire gathered in Blue Lake to demonstrate traditional low‑intensity burning on land that hadn’t seen fire in 150 years, showing how Indigenous fire stewardship reduces hazardous fuels, restores meadows, supports fire‑adapted plants, and strengthens cultural relationships with the land. The event highlighted the growing return of cultural burning in Humboldt County as communities confront larger, more destructive wildfires, and emphasized that “good fire” offers ecological, cultural, and safety benefits that modern suppression‑focused approaches have long neglected.
• Federal Appeals Court Affirms Endangered Species Act Protections for Klamath River Salmon
  • Lost Coast Outpost, Press release from the Yurok Tribe Jun 24, 2026
  • A federal appeals court ruled that the Bureau of Reclamation must operate the Klamath Irrigation Project in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, affirming protections for imperiled Klamath River salmon and sucker fish.  The decision supports the survival of Coho and Chinook salmon and recognizes that years of federal mismanagement of limited water supplies have contributed to declines in salmon populations. Tribal leaders and fishing organizations welcomed the ruling as a step toward restoring ecological health and accountability in the Klamath Basin, emphasizing that healthy salmon runs are essential for Indigenous communities, commercial and recreational fisheries, and the broader watershed.
• Great Redwood Trail Agency Earmarks $12.4 Million in Climate Bond Funding to Advance North Coast Trail Development and Design
  • Lost Coast Outpost, Press release from Great Redwood Trail Authority,Jun 23, 2026
  • The Great Redwood Trail Agency approved $12.4 million in climate‑bond funding to advance priority segments of the trail across Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity counties, marking the first deployment from its $50 million share of California’s Proposition 4 climate bond. The money supports trail design and construction, Tribal cultural resource protection, and environmental restoration, including wildfire mitigation and cleanup of legacy rail impacts, as part of a broader effort to build a resilient, accessible rail‑to‑trail corridor that strengthens climate adaptation and outdoor access for North Coast communities.
• Trump administration to buy back another energy company’s offshore wind leases for 4 more projects
  • AP News, June 17, 2026
  • The Trump administration is spending billions to buy back offshore wind leases from multiple companies in order to stop planned wind projects and redirect investment toward fossil fuels and geothermal. The latest deal reimburses Invenergy $765 million to cancel four early‑stage offshore wind leases off New Jersey, Maine, and California, bringing total buyback spending to about $2.6 billion. Similar agreements with TotalEnergies, Golden State Wind, and Bluepoint Wind have halted eight offshore wind projects in total. The administration adopted this buyback strategy after courts blocked its earlier attempts to halt offshore wind through executive action.
• Pacific Offshore Wind Consortium works to detect, mitigate future entanglement for California offshore wind
  • Times Standard, June 17, 2026
  • The Pacific Offshore Wind Consortium is working to develop sensor‑based systems that can detect when marine animals or fishing gear become entangled on floating offshore wind mooring lines, a risk expected to increase as California builds deep‑water offshore wind projects. Researchers from the Schatz Energy Research Center and Cal Poly Humboldt are creating algorithms and physical sensor packages that can identify subtle changes in tension or movement on mooring cables that signal “ghost gear” or animals already entangled in fishing gear interacting with offshore wind structures. Their goal is early detection and confirmation of entanglements so operators can remove dangerous debris from mooring lines, though the scientists emphasize that this technology cannot rescue live animals, because detection and verification take too long to intervene before an air‑breathing animal drowns. As testing continues, the project is framed as an important step toward reducing secondary entanglement risks associated with floating offshore wind development.

Please reach out with your thoughts and questions.

Thank you from the CORE Hub Team!