The Humboldt County Planning Commission will consider on Thursday whether to grant Nordic Aquafarms two permits for the company’s planned land-based salmon RAS in California.
The committee will make its decision on Thursday, having held an initial public hearing towards the end of July, over plans to transform a defunct paper mill. Nordic Aquafarms needs a coastal development permit and a special permit to allow the project to proceed.
The public hearing saw officials address over 240 public comments, including more than 130 supportive letters, as part of its consideration process. The company has previously received praise from members of the commission for its efforts to ensure that it goes “above and beyond” the necessary environmental measures.
However, there has been uncertainty raised by some officials, with the Northcoast Environmental Centre Executive Director Caroline Griffith telling the Lost Coast Outpost that the “scale of the project is really concerning.”
“We suggest starting with a smaller project, or that the planning commission consider issuing a permit that expires within a set amount of time, maybe five or 10 years,” Griffith suggested.
If approved, Nordic Aquafarms projects that the total annual production capacity will be 27,000 metric tons of salmon.
On Thursday, Nordic Aquafarms will either be given the green light to proceed or required to do more work to secure the permits.
