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Delo Freitas

Dear Members of the Arcata City Council, 

Former Arcata Mayor and Councilmember Michael Machi said it best: “Stop the bureaucratic sleepwalking ‐ sea level rise will doom our plans; Ma Nature has clearly warned us to relocate the Wastewater Treatment Plant” (Mad River Union, Sept. 29, 2022). I strongly urge you to read his piece and give serious thought to his warning.

Here’s the link:

https://www.madriverunion.com/articles/stop‐the‐bureaucratic‐sleepwalking‐sea‐level‐rise‐will‐doom‐o‐ur‐plans/

A number of people have spoken out about SLR at the Arcata PlanCo and city council meetings, including recently. We have beseeched you to do more to address this issue. And like Mr. Machi, many of us fear you are sleepwalking your way towards a car crash of a disaster that could make our town unlivable.

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury released its report on sea level rise this year (“The Sea Also Rises”). The report confirms what Michael Machi has to say, namely that mega‐flooding events are already with us! We don’t have 30 years to wait before deciding on where to relocate the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The time is NOW!

From the report:

“Even now we are witnessing ‘bomb cyclones’, extreme weather events like the massive storm that hit the Pacific Northwest last year resulting in major flooding. And as if this isn’t enough, the earth has a “moon wobble” problem. News reports in 2021 informed us that the moon wobbles back and forth on an 18‐year cycle. At one side of the cycle the moon’s gravitational pull on oceans is stronger than the other side. We are presently in the trough of the cycle where tides are mildly affected. By 2030, we will begin witnessing the peak of the cycle when tides will be larger and stronger resulting in more flooding along the earth’s coastlines.” 

That’s in as little as 7 or 8 years, if not sooner! Not to mention that King Tides and heavy rains are already causing problems with our aging treatment plant. Mega‐floods are occurring more frequently all over the world due to climate change. Don’t think it can’t happen here! 

So do you have a plan for where to relocate the Wastewater Treatment Plant? Community Development Director David Loya says that you do. And I respect David, but when I asked to see the maps where the buildings, infrastructure and sewage plant would be relocated, he confessed that the City hasn’t gotten that far yet. Maybe it’s time you did, because we have very little time, and that infrastructure may need to go in the southern half of the Gateway Area, if that’s feasible.

We need an advisory board made up of experts on sea level rise (like Aldaron Laird) to study this, then move as rapidly as possible to come up with a plan for relocating the plant.

Your first duty as a council member is to look out for the health, safety and well being of your constituents. Please resist the temptation to kick the can down the road until it’s too late! Seize the day on this or go down in infamy for failing to act in time. It’s your choice and your responsibility, not something to be taken lightly. Thank you and Carpe Diem!!

Respectfully,

Lisa Pelletier (Arcata resident)