Natural Resources

Responsibilities

Natural Resources staff perform environmental review and permitting for Public Works projects and operations, to support Humboldt County’s commitment to environmental stewardship and appropriate resource management.

The office manages environmental regulatory compliance and coordinates with Public Works management and staff on environmental practices and resource management involving county roads, bridges, airports, buildings, parks, levees, gravel mining and quarry rock extraction, solid waste facilities, and county-managed natural areas and open space.

Natural Resources staff work with engineering and maintenance staff to incorporate environmental constraints and considerations into planning and design.  The office prepares environmental review documents required by federal and state funding agencies; directs and administers specialized technical studies to assess potential environmental impacts; identifies measures to avoid and minimize impacts; develops feasible mitigation measures; and supports the environmental permitting process.

The office manages the closed municipal landfill at Table Bluff and environmental aspects of the County’s franchise solid waste facilities (Redway Transfer Station and 11 container sites).  The Table Bluff landfill is equipped with a leachate collection and treatment system.


Humboldt County 4th Street Property Acquisition and Development Project

Humboldt County retained LACO Associates to prepare an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impact for the Humboldt County 4th Street Property Acquisition and Development Project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The proposed project would acquire three parcels located in Eureka: Assessor Parcel No. (APN) 001-174-006 (1033 and 1039 Fourth Street), APN 001-174-007 (1023 and 1025 Fourth Street), and APN 001-174-008 (1017 Fourth Street). These parcels are located adjacent to a County-owned parcel (APN 001-174-009) containing the Public Defender’s (PD) and Child Abuse Services Team (CAST) offices. The proposed project involves purchase of land, demolishing all or a portion of the existing buildings currently located on site, and redevelopment of the site.  Five potential development scenarios are currently under consideration, including:

  1. Removing the newly-acquired buildings and turning their footprint into parking with landscaping, while leaving the existing PD and CAST offices and parking in place.
  2. Turning the entire site into parking with landscaping.
  3. Removing all existing buildings and replacing with three modular buildings, parking, and landscaping.
  4. Constructing an approximately 110,000 square foot building to be used for the Humboldt County Administrative Complex (HCAC). At this time, it is estimated that the proposed HCAC building would have five or six levels and a maximum height of 100 feet.
  5. A combination of Development Scenarios #1 and 4, where a phased approach would occur. In the first phase, the PD/CAST offices and parking would remain, the other buildings on-site would be demolished, and a 35-space parking lot on the footprint of the demolished structures would be constructed. Phase 2 would involve construction of the HCAC facility.

Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (October 11, 2019)

Complete document (65 MB)

Text only (1 MB)

Figures only (5 MB)

Appendices only (54 MB)

Eleven mitigation measures were identified to ensure that environmental impacts are less than significant. The review period begins October 14, 2019, and ends November 12, 2019. Public comments regarding the correctness, completeness, or adequacy of the Initial Study are invited. Comments received by the end of the review period will be considered before adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration. Written comments should be addressed to the Humboldt County Department of Public Works, 1106 Second Street, Eureka, CA 95501.


ACV Airport Microgrid Project

Humboldt County Public Works prepared an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impact for the ACV Airport Microgrid Project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The proposed project would construct a 2.3 megawatt microgrid facility on approximately nine acres at the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport. The facility would include photovoltaic arrays and a lithium-ion battery energy storage system. Four mitigation measures were identified to ensure that environmental impacts are less than significant. The public review period for the CEQA document ended April 30, 2018. The Board of Supervisors adopted the CEQA document on May 8, 2018. Construction is expected to begin in 2020.


Five Counties Salmonid Conservation Program

Humboldt County Public Works participates in the Five Counties Salmonid Conservation Program to protect water quality and stream habitat during maintenance of county roads and maintenance facilities.