MLPA Public Comment Hearing in Fort Bragg questions “No Significant Impact” pt1

Horizon Water & Environment gets hostile reception in Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg’s Town Hall was a raucous affair as Horizon Water & Environment and State Department of Fish and Game representatives held a Public Comments meeting regarding the draft EIR.

North Coast Study Region MLPA document’s availability and accesibility was raised into question as well as the often repeated sentiment that even though this was a comment period, no one was listening and responding.

Horizon Water & Environment and California Department of Fish and Game presented their assessment of the environmental impact upon the Northern Region of the State as ,”No Significant Impact” from the proposed rules. Many scientific, factual and procedural issues were commented on as well as the  concept of “No Significant Impact” and who is being impacted. There were numerous objections to the process and the manner the process was presented to the community.

5th district Supervisor Dan Hamburg voiced his constituent’s dismay in the process and the lack of a response to the County Board of Supervisor’s Letter from the previous year.

A question over time allotted per speaker developed into a fiery confrontation between one commenter and the person leading the meeting, Michael Stevenson, Principal stakeholder in Horizon Water & Environment, the contracted agency managing the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act.