Humboldt Bay Harbor Commission Considers Ordinance to Ban Offshore Oil Storage

Ordinance No. 21, formally titled “An Ordinance of the Board of Commissioners of the Humboldt Bay, Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Relating to the Prohibition, Storage and Handling of Offshore Produced Oil on District-Owned Property,” was placed on the Harbor District agenda in a staff report by Development Director Rob Holmlund dated Feb. 4, 2026 and scheduled for the district meeting on Feb. 12, 2026. The staff recommendation in the report was clear: “Adopt Ordinance 21 and consent to read by title only,” language that frames a potential ban on using district-owned property to store, handle or stage oil and gas produced by offshore drilling.

Local coverage and the district packet agree the draft ordinance was introduced but not finally adopted at the meeting. Humboldtwaterkeeper and the Advocate-News reported commissioners “unanimously continued” the item to an undetermined future date, while Redwood News reported commissioners “voted unanimously to advance the ordinance” and that it will return for a final vote later. The staff report excerpt provided to the board does not include a final vote record; its meeting header lists Feb. 12, 2026 as the scheduled meeting date, while media accounts variously described the discussion as occurring Thursday evening or on Friday.

Commissioner Stephen Kullmann framed the ordinance as a local countermeasure to a federal proposal to open parts of California’s federal waters to offshore drilling, saying, “It’s in reaction to announcements to open federal waters to offshore oil drilling, which the harbor district has no jurisdiction over. But we do have jurisdiction over activities within the bay,” and on district-owned property. Commissioners and staff tied the draft ordinance to the district’s planning work on the Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal project, expressing concern the terminal could be used to stage oil produced offshore.

The staff packet also shows the board requested monthly updates on the heavy-lift terminal; the packet lists public commenters for that agenda item as Colleen Clifford, Amy Jester and Kerry Venegas. Commissioner Craig Benson sought to make clear the ordinance “would not apply to businesses that use petroleum products,” and media accounts note the measure would likewise not target the fueling facility in the bay or businesses that handle oil as part of routine operations.

Harbor District Executive Director Chris Mikkelsen told meeting attendees that “Harbor officials did not want to hinder the effort,” and commissioners directed staff to coordinate with Humboldt County, which is drafting an onshore facilities ordinance intended to be incorporated into the county coastal plan. Humboldt County’s Board of Supervisors and the Arcata City Council have both publicly decried the federal leasing proposal, a backdrop cited repeatedly in local reports.

Redwood News’ social post about the ordinance registered substantial local attention, showing roughly 4.3K views and dozens of interactions in the outlet’s Facebook excerpt. With the staff recommendation filed by Holmlund and visible support from the commission, the ordinance will return to the Harbor District for further development and a final vote at a later date; district staff were instructed to work with county planners in the interim. For information or to request meeting materials, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District lists its phone as (707) 443-0801 and mailing address as P.O. Box 1030, Eureka, California 95502-1030.