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"content": "\n\u003cp>For the past 11 months, Jennifer Sullivan has been anxiously trying to sound an alarm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">Esmeralda Land Company\u003c/a> has proposed building a resort hotel, hundreds of homes, an event center, a preschool and a public park on a 266-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tucked in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale, the 8-acre plant was known to use harmful chemicals and discharged them into the soil and groundwater, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan worries that disturbing the site with new development could resurface those chemicals and expose current residents to new harms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the community that I live in,” Sullivan said. “The decision to approve this development is serious — it’s got serious consequences for our water, for public health.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102961\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12102956\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12102955\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102955\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Yes on Esmeralda” signs are displayed in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the Cloverdale City Council will consider whether to approve the project — one of the largest developments in the city’s recent history — along with its extensive community benefits package and already-completed environmental reviews, essentially clearing the path for its eventual construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As it does, however, council members are weighing the homes, jobs and tax revenue such a project might generate against a new wave of concerns from residents over environmental harms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda CEO Devon Zuegel said she generally understands those concerns but argues the project has already undergone extensive environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Sullivan isn’t satisfied. And she’s preparing to take the fight to voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the city council approves the Esmeralda development as is, Sullivan wants a referendum and said she’ll start collecting signatures to place such a measure on a ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials with the Esmeralda Land Company have hosted several informational town hall meetings with residents since 2024, but Sullivan said she didn’t hear about it until last winter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The scale of the project surprised her, she said, particularly the fact that Esmeralda wants to build a resort hotel with up to 160 rooms and more than 600 homes on site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This would be a luxury hotel and, when you live in a small town, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s a lot of people, this is a big change,’” she said. “I just started doing some research into the property itself, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan began pulling records on the site’s history and looking into environmental mitigation reports. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/2111526989254995/\">Facebook page\u003c/a> for opponents of the project and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-cloverdale-from-esmeraldas-shortcuts\">GoFundMe campaign\u003c/a> to hire a land use attorney who could push the city to require more environmental reviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The environment that we live in has a huge impact on our health,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jennifer Sullivan speaks with a fellow resident at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103227\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103227\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda submitted an addendum environmental impact report — a narrower version of the full report — that’s used “when there’s been small tweaks or changes to a particular project,” according to Tamara Galanter, an environmental attorney at the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The only time you can do an addendum is if there’s no new information,” Galanter said, adding that, in order for a project to qualify, “There [can’t be any] changes to the project that will result in a new significant environmental impact.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cloverdale resident Nancy Brown said, originally, she really liked Esmeralda’s plan and was excited about the project’s fancy hotel, spa and restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While commissioners ultimately recommended approving the project, they conditioned it on a number of requests, including a new recycled water study and a requirement for routine soil testing, among other items. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zuegel said she’s sympathetic — to an extent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Personally, Lambert is a big supporter and worries the city might miss out on a great opportunity if officials don’t approve the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Marquez said Wednesday’s council meeting is going to be about compromise. “What is the right thing to do for the residents of Cloverdale?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">Esmeralda Land Company\u003c/a> has proposed building a resort hotel, hundreds of homes, an event center, a preschool and a public park on a 266-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tucked in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale, the 8-acre plant was known to use harmful chemicals and discharged them into the soil and groundwater, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sullivan worries that disturbing the site with new development could resurface those chemicals and expose current residents to new harms.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is the community that I live in,” Sullivan said. “The decision to approve this development is serious — it’s got serious consequences for our water, for public health.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the Cloverdale City Council will consider whether to approve the project — one of the largest developments in the city’s recent history — along with its extensive community benefits package and already-completed environmental reviews, essentially clearing the path for its eventual construction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As it does, however, council members are weighing the homes, jobs and tax revenue such a project might generate against a new wave of concerns from residents over environmental harms. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda CEO Devon Zuegel said she generally understands those concerns but argues the project has already undergone extensive environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, Sullivan isn’t satisfied. And she’s preparing to take the fight to voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the city council approves the Esmeralda development as is, Sullivan wants a referendum and said she’ll start collecting signatures to place such a measure on a ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials with the Esmeralda Land Company have hosted several informational town hall meetings with residents since 2024, but Sullivan said she didn’t hear about it until last winter. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The scale of the project surprised her, she said, particularly the fact that Esmeralda wants to build a resort hotel with up to 160 rooms and more than 600 homes on site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This would be a luxury hotel and, when you live in a small town, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s a lot of people, this is a big change,’” she said. “I just started doing some research into the property itself, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sullivan began pulling records on the site’s history and looking into environmental mitigation reports. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/2111526989254995/\">Facebook page\u003c/a> for opponents of the project and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-cloverdale-from-esmeraldas-shortcuts\">GoFundMe campaign\u003c/a> to hire a land use attorney who could push the city to require more environmental reviews.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The environment that we live in has a huge impact on our health,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103228\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jennifer Sullivan speaks with a fellow resident at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103227\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda submitted an addendum environmental impact report — a narrower version of the full report — that’s used “when there’s been small tweaks or changes to a particular project,” according to Tamara Galanter, an environmental attorney at the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Esmeralda submitted an addendum environmental impact report — a narrower version of the full report — that’s used “when there’s been small tweaks or changes to a particular project,” according to Tamara Galanter, an environmental attorney at the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The only time you can do an addendum is if there’s no new information,” Galanter said, adding that, in order for a project to qualify, “There [can’t be any] changes to the project that will result in a new significant environmental impact.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102960\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cloverdale resident Nancy Brown said, originally, she really liked Esmeralda’s plan and was excited about the project’s fancy hotel, spa and restaurants. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While commissioners ultimately recommended approving the project, they conditioned it on a number of requests, including a new recycled water study and a requirement for routine soil testing, among other items. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While commissioners ultimately recommended approving the project, they conditioned it on a number of requests, including a new recycled water study and a requirement for routine soil testing, among other items. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zuegel said she’s sympathetic — to an extent. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Personally, Lambert is a big supporter and worries the city might miss out on a great opportunity if officials don’t approve the project.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Personally, Lambert is a big supporter and worries the city might miss out on a great opportunity if officials don’t approve the project.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Marquez said Wednesday’s council meeting is going to be about compromise. “What is the right thing to do for the residents of Cloverdale?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Marquez said Wednesday’s council meeting is going to be about compromise. “What is the right thing to do for the residents of Cloverdale?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The Cloverdale City Council will vote Wednesday on whether to approve Esmeralda, a controversial event center and new neighborhood in the small Sonoma County town that’s faced a recent wave of backlash over concerns that the site is contaminated.",
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"title": "As New North Bay Neighborhood Nears Approval, Environmental Concerns Weigh Heavily | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>For the past 11 months, Jennifer Sullivan has been anxiously trying to sound an alarm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">Esmeralda Land Company\u003c/a> has proposed building a resort hotel, hundreds of homes, an event center, a preschool and a public park on a 266-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tucked in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale, the 8-acre plant was known to use harmful chemicals and discharged them into the soil and groundwater, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan worries that disturbing the site with new development could resurface those chemicals and expose current residents to new harms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the community that I live in,” Sullivan said. “The decision to approve this development is serious — it’s got serious consequences for our water, for public health.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102961\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12102956\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12102955\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102955\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Yes on Esmeralda” signs are displayed in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the Cloverdale City Council will consider whether to approve the project — one of the largest developments in the city’s recent history — along with its extensive community benefits package and already-completed environmental reviews, essentially clearing the path for its eventual construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As it does, however, council members are weighing the homes, jobs and tax revenue such a project might generate against a new wave of concerns from residents over environmental harms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda CEO Devon Zuegel said she generally understands those concerns but argues the project has already undergone extensive environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Sullivan isn’t satisfied. And she’s preparing to take the fight to voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the city council approves the Esmeralda development as is, Sullivan wants a referendum and said she’ll start collecting signatures to place such a measure on a ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials with the Esmeralda Land Company have hosted several informational town hall meetings with residents since 2024, but Sullivan said she didn’t hear about it until last winter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The scale of the project surprised her, she said, particularly the fact that Esmeralda wants to build a resort hotel with up to 160 rooms and more than 600 homes on site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This would be a luxury hotel and, when you live in a small town, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s a lot of people, this is a big change,’” she said. “I just started doing some research into the property itself, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan began pulling records on the site’s history and looking into environmental mitigation reports. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/2111526989254995/\">Facebook page\u003c/a> for opponents of the project and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-cloverdale-from-esmeraldas-shortcuts\">GoFundMe campaign\u003c/a> to hire a land use attorney who could push the city to require more environmental reviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The environment that we live in has a huge impact on our health,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jennifer Sullivan speaks with a fellow resident at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103227\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103227\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda submitted an addendum environmental impact report — a narrower version of the full report — that’s used “when there’s been small tweaks or changes to a particular project,” according to Tamara Galanter, an environmental attorney at the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The only time you can do an addendum is if there’s no new information,” Galanter said, adding that, in order for a project to qualify, “There [can’t be any] changes to the project that will result in a new significant environmental impact.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cloverdale resident Nancy Brown said, originally, she really liked Esmeralda’s plan and was excited about the project’s fancy hotel, spa and restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While commissioners ultimately recommended approving the project, they conditioned it on a number of requests, including a new recycled water study and a requirement for routine soil testing, among other items. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zuegel said she’s sympathetic — to an extent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Personally, Lambert is a big supporter and worries the city might miss out on a great opportunity if officials don’t approve the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Marquez said Wednesday’s council meeting is going to be about compromise. “What is the right thing to do for the residents of Cloverdale?”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "golden-gate-fields-on-track-to-become-waterfront-park",
"title": "Golden Gate Fields on Track to Become Waterfront Park",
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"headTitle": "Golden Gate Fields on Track to Become Waterfront Park | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>East Bay officials took a goodbye tour on Monday of the shuttered Golden Gate Fields racetrack, which is slated to take the first step toward becoming a vast public open space for residents later this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In July, California agreed to foot the bulk of the $175 million bill for the nonprofit Trust for Public Land to purchase the 160-acre parcel at the border of Albany and Berkeley, with hopes to transform the Bay Area’s final horseracing track into a waterfront park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officials picture walking trails, sports fields and cafes replacing the iconic red and green grandstands and milelong oval track that drew horseracing fans — and college students looking for a cheap beer — for more than 80 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This place is so intertwined with so many people’s memories, and it’s super exciting to be… protecting this place for generations to come to continue to play,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, the Trust for Public Land’s state director. “But play something different — bet on kids running and not necessarily horses going around a racetrack.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103025\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103139\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103148\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103148\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In June of 2024, Golden Gate Fields held its final race, bringing an 83-year run and horse racing in the Bay Area, to an end. Rodriguez recalled that as a UC Berkeley student in the 1990s, attending the track’s Sunday “Dollar Days,” featuring $1 entry tickets, hot dogs and beers, was a “rite of passage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s where we filled up with all our carbs,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the bay, the racetrack at Tanforan in San Bruno shuttered more than 60 years ago. Bay Meadows in San Mateo closed in 2008 as interest in the sport waned and concerns grew about the safety of the horses at the tracks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Animal rights activists estimated that \u003ca href=\"https://localnewsmatters.org/2024/06/07/golden-gate-fields-bows-out-storied-horse-track-goes-dark-after-final-race-this-sunday/\">thousands of horses died\u003c/a> at Golden Gate Fields during its operation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both other tracks have been replaced with massive developments — a sprawling shopping center where Tanforan once stood and mixed-use housing and commercial space at Bay Meadows.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez said that while those uses make sense for their locations, when Golden Gate Fields shuttered, it was the public’s turn to get a new open space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trust for Public Land announced earlier this year that it would purchase the property from the Canadian-owned Stronach Group, which still operates Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, and transfer it to the East Bay Regional Park District.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While restoration and recreation will be at the forefront, what exactly will become of the parcel that once housed more than 1,000 horses and hundreds of workers in its “backstretch” hasn’t yet been decided. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez said there will be a robust community engagement process with nearby cities, which already began in Albany last week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayor Peggy McQuaid said between the 100 people who packed into the Albany Community Center in person and even more who joined the meeting virtually, there were “a lot of different ideas from the community” — from public access to revenue-generating development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everyone is excited about what’s really possible and exploring all the options,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The elected officials who toured the site on Monday expressed similar hopes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m really excited to have it go back to nature, to have this open shoreline, to have beautiful fields. There are a lot of folks interested in having sports fields,” Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii said. “I have three dogs, so I’m very excited to be able to bring them here and walk.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California State Senator Jesse Arreguín said he would love to see some sort of museum or educational site focused on the natural habitat and role of the waterfront, which was wetlands before the racetrack was built. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103029\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103141\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103141\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103147\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mayor of Albany Peggy McQuaid takes photos at Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also expressed support for some commercial use, especially since Golden Gate Fields generated more than $1 million in special revenue for the city of Albany, and about $700,000 for its school district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I would see some level of development in terms of restaurants or cafes … that also I think add to the attractiveness of open space,” East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks said. “That also gives more revenue-generating opportunities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot that can be done with this, and I think the mayor of Albany said it best — It’s such an enormous space that we can have all of these things,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103143\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assemblymember Buffy Wicks speaks at Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Wicks said that when she first learned the track would close and land use would transition, she immediately asked whether it could be used for housing. While residential development isn’t entirely off the table, she said, it would come with “unique challenges.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because of the land’s zoning, Albany voters would have to approve any residential development, according to Wicks. Adding the infrastructure needed to support housing on the land would also come with a significant cost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These are not insurmountable things, but they also just present a different kind of reality,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103031\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>There are also parameters to the funding that the Trust for Public Land will use to purchase the $175 million parcel. Nearly three-fourths will come from statewide funds for Proposition 4, a voter-approved bond for climate projects, including land conservation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The park district has pledged $20 million for the project, and the nonprofit is raising the remaining $30 million through private donors and additional public funding.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The East Bay Regional Park District is expected to formally accept that it will take ownership of the property at a meeting on Oct. 20. The California Wildlife Conservation Board and California State Coastal Conservancy, two of the entities responsible for the state funds, will both hold votes on whether to approve the appropriations in November and December, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After all three votes, Rodriguez said the Trust for Public Land has until Dec. 15 to exercise its option agreement to purchase the property.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re ending the preamble, and now the work begins,” McQuaid, the Albany mayor, said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In July, California agreed to foot the bulk of the $175 million bill for the nonprofit Trust for Public Land to purchase the 160-acre parcel at the border of Albany and Berkeley, with hopes to transform the Bay Area’s final horseracing track into a waterfront park. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The officials picture walking trails, sports fields and cafes replacing the iconic red and green grandstands and milelong oval track that drew horseracing fans — and college students looking for a cheap beer — for more than 80 years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This place is so intertwined with so many people’s memories, and it’s super exciting to be… protecting this place for generations to come to continue to play,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, the Trust for Public Land’s state director. “But play something different — bet on kids running and not necessarily horses going around a racetrack.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In June of 2024, Golden Gate Fields held its final race, bringing an 83-year run and horse racing in the Bay Area, to an end. Rodriguez recalled that as a UC Berkeley student in the 1990s, attending the track’s Sunday “Dollar Days,” featuring $1 entry tickets, hot dogs and beers, was a “rite of passage.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across the bay, the racetrack at Tanforan in San Bruno shuttered more than 60 years ago. Bay Meadows in San Mateo closed in 2008 as interest in the sport waned and concerns grew about the safety of the horses at the tracks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Trust for Public Land announced earlier this year that it would purchase the property from the Canadian-owned Stronach Group, which still operates Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, and transfer it to the East Bay Regional Park District.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While restoration and recreation will be at the forefront, what exactly will become of the parcel that once housed more than 1,000 horses and hundreds of workers in its “backstretch” hasn’t yet been decided. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rodriguez said there will be a robust community engagement process with nearby cities, which already began in Albany last week. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mayor Peggy McQuaid said between the 100 people who packed into the Albany Community Center in person and even more who joined the meeting virtually, there were “a lot of different ideas from the community” — from public access to revenue-generating development.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everyone is excited about what’s really possible and exploring all the options,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The elected officials who toured the site on Monday expressed similar hopes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m really excited to have it go back to nature, to have this open shoreline, to have beautiful fields. There are a lot of folks interested in having sports fields,” Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii said. “I have three dogs, so I’m very excited to be able to bring them here and walk.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California State Senator Jesse Arreguín said he would love to see some sort of museum or educational site focused on the natural habitat and role of the waterfront, which was wetlands before the racetrack was built. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He also expressed support for some commercial use, especially since Golden Gate Fields generated more than $1 million in special revenue for the city of Albany, and about $700,000 for its school district.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I would see some level of development in terms of restaurants or cafes … that also I think add to the attractiveness of open space,” East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks said. “That also gives more revenue-generating opportunities.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot that can be done with this, and I think the mayor of Albany said it best — It’s such an enormous space that we can have all of these things,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wicks said that when she first learned the track would close and land use would transition, she immediately asked whether it could be used for housing. While residential development isn’t entirely off the table, she said, it would come with “unique challenges.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because of the land’s zoning, Albany voters would have to approve any residential development, according to Wicks. Adding the infrastructure needed to support housing on the land would also come with a significant cost.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“These are not insurmountable things, but they also just present a different kind of reality,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are also parameters to the funding that the Trust for Public Land will use to purchase the $175 million parcel. Nearly three-fourths will come from statewide funds for Proposition 4, a voter-approved bond for climate projects, including land conservation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The park district has pledged $20 million for the project, and the nonprofit is raising the remaining $30 million through private donors and additional public funding.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The East Bay Regional Park District is expected to formally accept that it will take ownership of the property at a meeting on Oct. 20. The California Wildlife Conservation Board and California State Coastal Conservancy, two of the entities responsible for the state funds, will both hold votes on whether to approve the appropriations in November and December, respectively. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After all three votes, Rodriguez said the Trust for Public Land has until Dec. 15 to exercise its option agreement to purchase the property.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re ending the preamble, and now the work begins,” McQuaid, the Albany mayor, said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>East Bay officials took a goodbye tour on Monday of the shuttered Golden Gate Fields racetrack, which is slated to take the first step toward becoming a vast public open space for residents later this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In July, California agreed to foot the bulk of the $175 million bill for the nonprofit Trust for Public Land to purchase the 160-acre parcel at the border of Albany and Berkeley, with hopes to transform the Bay Area’s final horseracing track into a waterfront park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officials picture walking trails, sports fields and cafes replacing the iconic red and green grandstands and milelong oval track that drew horseracing fans — and college students looking for a cheap beer — for more than 80 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This place is so intertwined with so many people’s memories, and it’s super exciting to be… protecting this place for generations to come to continue to play,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, the Trust for Public Land’s state director. “But play something different — bet on kids running and not necessarily horses going around a racetrack.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103025\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103139\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103148\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103148\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-63-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In June of 2024, Golden Gate Fields held its final race, bringing an 83-year run and horse racing in the Bay Area, to an end. Rodriguez recalled that as a UC Berkeley student in the 1990s, attending the track’s Sunday “Dollar Days,” featuring $1 entry tickets, hot dogs and beers, was a “rite of passage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s where we filled up with all our carbs,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the bay, the racetrack at Tanforan in San Bruno shuttered more than 60 years ago. Bay Meadows in San Mateo closed in 2008 as interest in the sport waned and concerns grew about the safety of the horses at the tracks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Animal rights activists estimated that \u003ca href=\"https://localnewsmatters.org/2024/06/07/golden-gate-fields-bows-out-storied-horse-track-goes-dark-after-final-race-this-sunday/\">thousands of horses died\u003c/a> at Golden Gate Fields during its operation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both other tracks have been replaced with massive developments — a sprawling shopping center where Tanforan once stood and mixed-use housing and commercial space at Bay Meadows.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez said that while those uses make sense for their locations, when Golden Gate Fields shuttered, it was the public’s turn to get a new open space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trust for Public Land announced earlier this year that it would purchase the property from the Canadian-owned Stronach Group, which still operates Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, and transfer it to the East Bay Regional Park District.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While restoration and recreation will be at the forefront, what exactly will become of the parcel that once housed more than 1,000 horses and hundreds of workers in its “backstretch” hasn’t yet been decided. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez said there will be a robust community engagement process with nearby cities, which already began in Albany last week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayor Peggy McQuaid said between the 100 people who packed into the Albany Community Center in person and even more who joined the meeting virtually, there were “a lot of different ideas from the community” — from public access to revenue-generating development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everyone is excited about what’s really possible and exploring all the options,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The elected officials who toured the site on Monday expressed similar hopes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m really excited to have it go back to nature, to have this open shoreline, to have beautiful fields. There are a lot of folks interested in having sports fields,” Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii said. “I have three dogs, so I’m very excited to be able to bring them here and walk.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California State Senator Jesse Arreguín said he would love to see some sort of museum or educational site focused on the natural habitat and role of the waterfront, which was wetlands before the racetrack was built. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103029\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-30_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103141\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103141\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-21-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103147\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-51-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mayor of Albany Peggy McQuaid takes photos at Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also expressed support for some commercial use, especially since Golden Gate Fields generated more than $1 million in special revenue for the city of Albany, and about $700,000 for its school district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I would see some level of development in terms of restaurants or cafes … that also I think add to the attractiveness of open space,” East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks said. “That also gives more revenue-generating opportunities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot that can be done with this, and I think the mayor of Albany said it best — It’s such an enormous space that we can have all of these things,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103143\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GOLDENGATEFIELDS-NG-35-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assemblymember Buffy Wicks speaks at Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Wicks said that when she first learned the track would close and land use would transition, she immediately asked whether it could be used for housing. While residential development isn’t entirely off the table, she said, it would come with “unique challenges.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because of the land’s zoning, Albany voters would have to approve any residential development, according to Wicks. Adding the infrastructure needed to support housing on the land would also come with a significant cost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These are not insurmountable things, but they also just present a different kind of reality,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103031\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261005-GoldenGateFields-NG-54_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track, on the border of Albany and Berkeley on Oct. 5, 2026. The Trust for Public Land plans to buy the $175 million property by the end of the year. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>There are also parameters to the funding that the Trust for Public Land will use to purchase the $175 million parcel. Nearly three-fourths will come from statewide funds for Proposition 4, a voter-approved bond for climate projects, including land conservation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The park district has pledged $20 million for the project, and the nonprofit is raising the remaining $30 million through private donors and additional public funding.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The East Bay Regional Park District is expected to formally accept that it will take ownership of the property at a meeting on Oct. 20. The California Wildlife Conservation Board and California State Coastal Conservancy, two of the entities responsible for the state funds, will both hold votes on whether to approve the appropriations in November and December, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After all three votes, Rodriguez said the Trust for Public Land has until Dec. 15 to exercise its option agreement to purchase the property.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re ending the preamble, and now the work begins,” McQuaid, the Albany mayor, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "newsom-signs-coal-terminal-law-as-oakland-wins-key-court-fight",
"title": "Newsom Signs Coal Terminal Law as Oakland Wins Key Court Fight",
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"headTitle": "Newsom Signs Coal Terminal Law as Oakland Wins Key Court Fight | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A controversial \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914067/trump-administration-shovels-75-million-into-controversial-oakland-coal-terminal\">proposed coal terminal\u003c/a> in West Oakland was dealt two major blows this week, presenting new obstacles for the Trump administration-backed project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a Kentucky federal court threw out a $1 billion lawsuit against Oakland from one of the developers behind the proposed export facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company in that case, Insight Terminal Solutions, argued that the city interfered with its plans to build a facility that would process millions of tons of coal, leading to the company’s bankruptcy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 40 into law, which requires that developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. The law applies to any such new facility in the state but its author, Oakland Assemblymember Mia Bonta, designed the bill to apply to the so-called West Gateway Terminal project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kicked from Kentucky court \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a higher court, however, ITS’s case ran into challenges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1306\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Had Oakland been forced to pay ITS, it also could have also pushed the city to bankruptcy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New roadblocks and concerns \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bonta’s Community First Coal Review Act specifically addresses West Oakland’s environmental justice concerns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Local advocates who have been opposing the development for years applauded the governor’s signing of AB 40. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates have repeatedly raised those concerns despite assurances from developers that they would make a state-of-the-art facility to minimize health impacts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least some of the concerns were validated by the \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">recent\u003c/a> investor report, which contained a surprising revelation: that the coal would be stored in “open-air bunkers.” That appeared to contradict previous assurances from developers that they would store the coal in covered silos to minimize the spread of toxic dust. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In this incredibly windy area we live in, all that coal is gonna get blown all around and really impact the community,” Eichenberg said “And the developer had promised to have a state-of-the-art facility with everything covered. So we’re deeply disappointed that these kinds of impacts are being imposed on the community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a Kentucky federal court threw out a $1 billion lawsuit against Oakland from one of the developers behind the proposed export facility. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company in that case, Insight Terminal Solutions, argued that the city interfered with its plans to build a facility that would process millions of tons of coal, leading to the company’s bankruptcy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 40 into law, which requires that developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. The law applies to any such new facility in the state but its author, Oakland Assemblymember Mia Bonta, designed the bill to apply to the so-called West Gateway Terminal project. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a higher court, however, ITS’s case ran into challenges. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Had Oakland been forced to pay ITS, it also could have also pushed the city to bankruptcy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bonta’s Community First Coal Review Act specifically addresses West Oakland’s environmental justice concerns. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Local advocates who have been opposing the development for years applauded the governor’s signing of AB 40. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates have repeatedly raised those concerns despite assurances from developers that they would make a state-of-the-art facility to minimize health impacts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At least some of the concerns were validated by the \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">recent\u003c/a> investor report, which contained a surprising revelation: that the coal would be stored in “open-air bunkers.” That appeared to contradict previous assurances from developers that they would store the coal in covered silos to minimize the spread of toxic dust. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In this incredibly windy area we live in, all that coal is gonna get blown all around and really impact the community,” Eichenberg said “And the developer had promised to have a state-of-the-art facility with everything covered. So we’re deeply disappointed that these kinds of impacts are being imposed on the community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The developer must now contend with environmental review red tape, as concerns grow over coal dust and health risks.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A controversial \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914067/trump-administration-shovels-75-million-into-controversial-oakland-coal-terminal\">proposed coal terminal\u003c/a> in West Oakland was dealt two major blows this week, presenting new obstacles for the Trump administration-backed project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a Kentucky federal court threw out a $1 billion lawsuit against Oakland from one of the developers behind the proposed export facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company in that case, Insight Terminal Solutions, argued that the city interfered with its plans to build a facility that would process millions of tons of coal, leading to the company’s bankruptcy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 40 into law, which requires that developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. The law applies to any such new facility in the state but its author, Oakland Assemblymember Mia Bonta, designed the bill to apply to the so-called West Gateway Terminal project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kicked from Kentucky court \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a higher court, however, ITS’s case ran into challenges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1306\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Had Oakland been forced to pay ITS, it also could have also pushed the city to bankruptcy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New roadblocks and concerns \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bonta’s Community First Coal Review Act specifically addresses West Oakland’s environmental justice concerns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Local advocates who have been opposing the development for years applauded the governor’s signing of AB 40. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates have repeatedly raised those concerns despite assurances from developers that they would make a state-of-the-art facility to minimize health impacts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least some of the concerns were validated by the \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">recent\u003c/a> investor report, which contained a surprising revelation: that the coal would be stored in “open-air bunkers.” That appeared to contradict previous assurances from developers that they would store the coal in covered silos to minimize the spread of toxic dust. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In this incredibly windy area we live in, all that coal is gonna get blown all around and really impact the community,” Eichenberg said “And the developer had promised to have a state-of-the-art facility with everything covered. So we’re deeply disappointed that these kinds of impacts are being imposed on the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "air-district-reconsidering-prescribed-burns-following-smoky-skies",
"title": "Bay Area Air District Reconsiders Permit Process for Prescribed Burns",
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"headTitle": "Bay Area Air District Reconsiders Permit Process for Prescribed Burns | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>After a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100934/angel-island-prescribed-burn-to-resume-this-week\">controlled burn on Angel Island\u003c/a> this week sent smoke into residential areas across the Bay Area — and pushed air quality along the Richmond coast above 400 on the Air Quality Index — regulators said they’re now considering changing how permits are issued for future prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, the prescribed burn on Angel Island had to be called off early for a second time, after smoke from the fires dramatically impacted air quality for residents nearby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the wind shifted by the early afternoon, sending plumes of smoke to San Francisco and West Contra Costa County — the latter of which already has \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/richmond/richmondsanpabloairmonitoringplanjuly2020-pdf.pdf?la=en\">high rates of asthma\u003c/a> due to chronic air pollution from the fossil fuel and other industries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They were wrong, and all of us were negatively impacted,” John Gioia, a Contra Costa County supervisor and member of the air district’s board, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">post on Instagram\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke lingered over west Contra Costa County until the early evening hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said that crews were able to burn 147 of the 260 acres they planned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polidori apologized for any impact the smoke had on the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, the prescribed burn on Angel Island had to be called off early for a second time, after smoke from the fires dramatically impacted air quality for residents nearby. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead, the prescribed burn on Angel Island had to be called off early for a second time, after smoke from the fires dramatically impacted air quality for residents nearby. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the wind shifted by the early afternoon, sending plumes of smoke to San Francisco and West Contra Costa County — the latter of which already has \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/richmond/richmondsanpabloairmonitoringplanjuly2020-pdf.pdf?la=en\">high rates of asthma\u003c/a> due to chronic air pollution from the fossil fuel and other industries. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They were wrong, and all of us were negatively impacted,” John Gioia, a Contra Costa County supervisor and member of the air district’s board, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">post on Instagram\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smoke lingered over west Contra Costa County until the early evening hours. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Forbes said that crews were able to burn 147 of the 260 acres they planned. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Polidori apologized for any impact the smoke had on the community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Shifting winds sent smoke from a planned wildfire intervention effort into San Francisco and western Contra Costa County.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>After a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100934/angel-island-prescribed-burn-to-resume-this-week\">controlled burn on Angel Island\u003c/a> this week sent smoke into residential areas across the Bay Area — and pushed air quality along the Richmond coast above 400 on the Air Quality Index — regulators said they’re now considering changing how permits are issued for future prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, the prescribed burn on Angel Island had to be called off early for a second time, after smoke from the fires dramatically impacted air quality for residents nearby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the wind shifted by the early afternoon, sending plumes of smoke to San Francisco and West Contra Costa County — the latter of which already has \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/richmond/richmondsanpabloairmonitoringplanjuly2020-pdf.pdf?la=en\">high rates of asthma\u003c/a> due to chronic air pollution from the fossil fuel and other industries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They were wrong, and all of us were negatively impacted,” John Gioia, a Contra Costa County supervisor and member of the air district’s board, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">post on Instagram\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke lingered over west Contra Costa County until the early evening hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said that crews were able to burn 147 of the 260 acres they planned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polidori apologized for any impact the smoke had on the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "richmond-residents-living-near-refinery-seek-clarity-after-cancer-risk-report",
"title": "Richmond Residents Living Near Refinery Seek Clarity After Cancer Risk Report",
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"headTitle": "Richmond Residents Living Near Refinery Seek Clarity After Cancer Risk Report | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>East Bay residents wanted answers this week, after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001777/residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says\">major new report\u003c/a> by air regulators found that people living close to the Chevron Richmond Refinery face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and other illnesses from short exposure to excess emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District released the preliminary health \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">risk assessment\u003c/a> on Aug. 21. Most of the cancer risk came from toxic air contaminants that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the petroleum refinery, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The model analysis examined the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions and found it to be more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a public hearing, Richmond City Councilmember Sue Wilson said residents have been confused by the technical analysis and asked air officials to clarify what the report means for the constituents in her district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District findings measured risk levels over 30 years for residents, workers and students who face varying degrees of exposure to toxic emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Radhakrishna said it might help to consider how data from the Institute of Highway Safety is used to measure the risk of dying from driving.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1249\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11612980\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-800x520.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1020x664.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-960x625.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-240x156.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-375x244.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-520x338.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heat rises from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident for driving for a year is 37 in a million,” Radhakrishna said, “which is the same for the risk presented by cancer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For community members who’ve spent decades trying to combat toxic emissions at the Chevron refinery, the assessment is the first scientific study to measure the risks from air pollution from the facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ This finding provides data for what our community has known for decades: that Chevron is polluting our community and making people sick,” said Scott Nanos-Luz, the Richmond organizer for the \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/our-work/\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>. “‘This is the science of it. This is the proof.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risk assessment data\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District identified ten specific sources of toxic emissions, including storage tanks, pipe fittings, valves and a wastewater treatment plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community participation\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is seeking input from Richmond residents, scientists and experts and said it will be working closely with city officials to hold additional informational sessions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014. (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District has acknowledged that additional data may increase or decrease the final risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>East Bay residents wanted answers this week, after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001777/residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says\">major new report\u003c/a> by air regulators found that people living close to the Chevron Richmond Refinery face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and other illnesses from short exposure to excess emissions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District released the preliminary health \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">risk assessment\u003c/a> on Aug. 21. Most of the cancer risk came from toxic air contaminants that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the petroleum refinery, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The model analysis examined the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions and found it to be more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At a public hearing, Richmond City Councilmember Sue Wilson said residents have been confused by the technical analysis and asked air officials to clarify what the report means for the constituents in her district.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District findings measured risk levels over 30 years for residents, workers and students who face varying degrees of exposure to toxic emissions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Radhakrishna said it might help to consider how data from the Institute of Highway Safety is used to measure the risk of dying from driving.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11612980\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heat rises from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident for driving for a year is 37 in a million,” Radhakrishna said, “which is the same for the risk presented by cancer.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For community members who’ve spent decades trying to combat toxic emissions at the Chevron refinery, the assessment is the first scientific study to measure the risks from air pollution from the facility. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This finding provides data for what our community has known for decades: that Chevron is polluting our community and making people sick,” said Scott Nanos-Luz, the Richmond organizer for the \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/our-work/\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>. “‘This is the science of it. This is the proof.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District identified ten specific sources of toxic emissions, including storage tanks, pipe fittings, valves and a wastewater treatment plan.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District is seeking input from Richmond residents, scientists and experts and said it will be working closely with city officials to hold additional informational sessions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District has acknowledged that additional data may increase or decrease the final risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Air District officials on Monday said their finding that people living close to Chevron’s Richmond Refinery face an elevated cancer risk was \"significant\" and tried to explain the modeling study.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>East Bay residents wanted answers this week, after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001777/residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says\">major new report\u003c/a> by air regulators found that people living close to the Chevron Richmond Refinery face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and other illnesses from short exposure to excess emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District released the preliminary health \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">risk assessment\u003c/a> on Aug. 21. Most of the cancer risk came from toxic air contaminants that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the petroleum refinery, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The model analysis examined the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions and found it to be more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a public hearing, Richmond City Councilmember Sue Wilson said residents have been confused by the technical analysis and asked air officials to clarify what the report means for the constituents in her district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District findings measured risk levels over 30 years for residents, workers and students who face varying degrees of exposure to toxic emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Radhakrishna said it might help to consider how data from the Institute of Highway Safety is used to measure the risk of dying from driving.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1249\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11612980\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-800x520.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1020x664.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-960x625.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-240x156.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-375x244.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-520x338.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heat rises from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident for driving for a year is 37 in a million,” Radhakrishna said, “which is the same for the risk presented by cancer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For community members who’ve spent decades trying to combat toxic emissions at the Chevron refinery, the assessment is the first scientific study to measure the risks from air pollution from the facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ This finding provides data for what our community has known for decades: that Chevron is polluting our community and making people sick,” said Scott Nanos-Luz, the Richmond organizer for the \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/our-work/\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>. “‘This is the science of it. This is the proof.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risk assessment data\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District identified ten specific sources of toxic emissions, including storage tanks, pipe fittings, valves and a wastewater treatment plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community participation\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is seeking input from Richmond residents, scientists and experts and said it will be working closely with city officials to hold additional informational sessions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014. (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District has acknowledged that additional data may increase or decrease the final risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "angel-island-prescribed-burn-to-resume-this-week",
"title": "Angel Island Prescribed Burn to Resume This Week",
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"headTitle": "Angel Island Prescribed Burn to Resume This Week | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>If you see smoke rising over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/angel-island\">Angel Island\u003c/a> this week, don’t be alarmed — fire crews are set to continue a prescribed burn two weeks after a previous operation was paused. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A planned burn on Sept. 8 covered just 62 acres before stopping due to air quality concerns, according to a State Parks press release. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke from Angel Island, the largest island in the San Francisco Bay, was visible throughout the East Bay and San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for California State Parks, said that fire officials decided to hold off after looking at upcoming weather conditions and receiving feedback from the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We actually plan around needing to postpone burns,” Forbes said. “We really only like to burn when conditions are ideal, and we’re in San Francisco, where weather conditions can change a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While prescribed burns make air quality worse in the short run, contributing to negative \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-human-health\">health\u003c/a> outcomes, Stanford University researchers have shown that annual prescribed burns can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001297/can-controlled-burns-reduce-californias-air-pollution\">reduce exposure to wildfire smoke\u003c/a> by as much as \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/prescribed-fires-can-cut-smoke-pollution-years-miles-beyond-burn-areas\">25%\u003c/a> in California’s worst wildfire years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said State Parks takes a number of environmental factors into consideration while planning burn days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire and the Marin County Fire Department will work with State Parks on Wednesday to finish the burn aimed at reducing the amount of grass, shrubbery and other flammable vegetation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2008, a wildfire burned almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/people-caused-the-angel-island-fire/1840143/\">half\u003c/a> of the island — the prescribed burn aims to avoid another catastrophe before it’s too late. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The park remains \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/1581\">open\u003c/a>, although the park’s fire and perimeter roads, as well as portions of the Ida Trail and Sunset Trail, will be closed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you see smoke rising over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/angel-island\">Angel Island\u003c/a> this week, don’t be alarmed — fire crews are set to continue a prescribed burn two weeks after a previous operation was paused. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A planned burn on Sept. 8 covered just 62 acres before stopping due to air quality concerns, according to a State Parks press release. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A planned burn on Sept. 8 covered just 62 acres before stopping due to air quality concerns, according to a State Parks press release. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smoke from Angel Island, the largest island in the San Francisco Bay, was visible throughout the East Bay and San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for California State Parks, said that fire officials decided to hold off after looking at upcoming weather conditions and receiving feedback from the community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We actually plan around needing to postpone burns,” Forbes said. “We really only like to burn when conditions are ideal, and we’re in San Francisco, where weather conditions can change a lot.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We actually plan around needing to postpone burns,” Forbes said. “We really only like to burn when conditions are ideal, and we’re in San Francisco, where weather conditions can change a lot.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While prescribed burns make air quality worse in the short run, contributing to negative \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-human-health\">health\u003c/a> outcomes, Stanford University researchers have shown that annual prescribed burns can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001297/can-controlled-burns-reduce-californias-air-pollution\">reduce exposure to wildfire smoke\u003c/a> by as much as \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/prescribed-fires-can-cut-smoke-pollution-years-miles-beyond-burn-areas\">25%\u003c/a> in California’s worst wildfire years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Forbes said State Parks takes a number of environmental factors into consideration while planning burn days. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal Fire and the Marin County Fire Department will work with State Parks on Wednesday to finish the burn aimed at reducing the amount of grass, shrubbery and other flammable vegetation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2008, a wildfire burned almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/people-caused-the-angel-island-fire/1840143/\">half\u003c/a> of the island — the prescribed burn aims to avoid another catastrophe before it’s too late. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The park remains \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/1581\">open\u003c/a>, although the park’s fire and perimeter roads, as well as portions of the Ida Trail and Sunset Trail, will be closed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Don’t call 911: Fire crews are aiming to prevent future wildfires by burning grass and shrubs on the island.",
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"title": "Angel Island Prescribed Burn to Resume This Week | KQED",
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"headline": "Angel Island Prescribed Burn to Resume This Week",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>If you see smoke rising over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/angel-island\">Angel Island\u003c/a> this week, don’t be alarmed — fire crews are set to continue a prescribed burn two weeks after a previous operation was paused. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A planned burn on Sept. 8 covered just 62 acres before stopping due to air quality concerns, according to a State Parks press release. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke from Angel Island, the largest island in the San Francisco Bay, was visible throughout the East Bay and San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for California State Parks, said that fire officials decided to hold off after looking at upcoming weather conditions and receiving feedback from the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We actually plan around needing to postpone burns,” Forbes said. “We really only like to burn when conditions are ideal, and we’re in San Francisco, where weather conditions can change a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While prescribed burns make air quality worse in the short run, contributing to negative \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-human-health\">health\u003c/a> outcomes, Stanford University researchers have shown that annual prescribed burns can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001297/can-controlled-burns-reduce-californias-air-pollution\">reduce exposure to wildfire smoke\u003c/a> by as much as \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/prescribed-fires-can-cut-smoke-pollution-years-miles-beyond-burn-areas\">25%\u003c/a> in California’s worst wildfire years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said State Parks takes a number of environmental factors into consideration while planning burn days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire and the Marin County Fire Department will work with State Parks on Wednesday to finish the burn aimed at reducing the amount of grass, shrubbery and other flammable vegetation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2008, a wildfire burned almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/people-caused-the-angel-island-fire/1840143/\">half\u003c/a> of the island — the prescribed burn aims to avoid another catastrophe before it’s too late. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The park remains \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/1581\">open\u003c/a>, although the park’s fire and perimeter roads, as well as portions of the Ida Trail and Sunset Trail, will be closed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "moss-landing-power-plant-fire-triggers-shelter-in-place-warnings-highway-1-impacted",
"title": "Monterey Officials Lift Shelter-in-Place Order, End Road Closure Prompted by Power Plant Fire",
"publishDate": 1789755841,
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"headTitle": "Monterey Officials Lift Shelter-in-Place Order, End Road Closure Prompted by Power Plant Fire | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/monterey-county\">Monterey County\u003c/a> officials have lifted a shelter-in-place order prompted by a fire Friday morning at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/moss-landing\">Moss Landing\u003c/a> Power Plant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Firefighters from the North County Fire Protection District were dispatched to the Vistra Energy battery storage after 6:15 a.m., according to a release from the agency and the emergency warning center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Shelter-in-place orders were issued for the surrounding areas and the North Monterey County School District, as the county’s emergency management department coordinated with local, state and federal agencies. Traffic on Highway 1 in the Moss Landing area was impacted, and motorists were asked to avoid the area to allow emergency crews access.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12026949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Moss Landing Power Plant, the site of a battery fire on Jan. 16, in Moss Landing on Feb. 12, 2025. The power plant is a natural gas-fired power station with a large battery storage facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said Friday afternoon that the order and a road closure had been removed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials said the fire was not nearly as big as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022725/massive-fire-monterey-county-battery-plant-spews-toxic-smoke-forces-evacuations\">a 2025 fire \u003c/a>at the same Vistra battery storage plant, which burned for days and produced a plume of black smoke that was visible for miles. But some of the batteries damaged in that fire were “heavily involved” in the current blaze, according to North County Fire Protection District Chief Jess Cortez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The facility has been closed since the January 2025 fire destroyed over half of the approximately 100,000 batteries onsite, according to Vistra. Most of the remaining batteries have been removed and recycled in an ongoing cleanup effort. But about 5,000 are still onsite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Those always have been at 100% capacity energized,” Cortez said during a Friday briefing. “So we actually had a good general idea of what the involvement could be.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cortez said hundreds of batteries damaged during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022725/massive-fire-monterey-county-battery-plant-spews-toxic-smoke-forces-evacuations\">2025 Vistra battery fire\u003c/a> “spontaneously ignited” Friday morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kazami Brockman with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency told reporters that the agency’s air monitoring sites in the area had not detected concentrations of anything that exceeded healthy levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following the 2025 fire, scientists \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999445/scientists-trace-heavy-metals-spread-by-januarys-huge-battery-fire-near-monterey\">found that concentrations of metals\u003c/a> were between 10 and 10,000 greater than before. Nearby residents complained of nausea and headaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People do remain concerned,” County Supervisor Glenn Church said. “It is frustrating that it continues to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials said that they expected the current fire to burn itself out by today. Cortez said the batteries were “in the smoldering stage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The incident is very dynamic. There could be flare-ups, but that’s to be determined in the future,” Cortez said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s still not clear what caused the 2025 fire or the Friday fire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Firefighters from the North County Fire Protection District were dispatched to the Vistra Energy battery storage after 6:15 a.m., according to a release from the agency and the emergency warning center. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Shelter-in-place orders were issued for the surrounding areas and the North Monterey County School District, as the county’s emergency management department coordinated with local, state and federal agencies. Traffic on Highway 1 in the Moss Landing area was impacted, and motorists were asked to avoid the area to allow emergency crews access.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12026949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Moss Landing Power Plant, the site of a battery fire on Jan. 16, in Moss Landing on Feb. 12, 2025. The power plant is a natural gas-fired power station with a large battery storage facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials said the fire was not nearly as big as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022725/massive-fire-monterey-county-battery-plant-spews-toxic-smoke-forces-evacuations\">a 2025 fire \u003c/a>at the same Vistra battery storage plant, which burned for days and produced a plume of black smoke that was visible for miles. But some of the batteries damaged in that fire were “heavily involved” in the current blaze, according to North County Fire Protection District Chief Jess Cortez.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials said the fire was not nearly as big as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022725/massive-fire-monterey-county-battery-plant-spews-toxic-smoke-forces-evacuations\">a 2025 fire \u003c/a>at the same Vistra battery storage plant, which burned for days and produced a plume of black smoke that was visible for miles. But some of the batteries damaged in that fire were “heavily involved” in the current blaze, according to North County Fire Protection District Chief Jess Cortez.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The facility has been closed since the January 2025 fire destroyed over half of the approximately 100,000 batteries onsite, according to Vistra. Most of the remaining batteries have been removed and recycled in an ongoing cleanup effort. But about 5,000 are still onsite.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The facility has been closed since the January 2025 fire destroyed over half of the approximately 100,000 batteries onsite, according to Vistra. Most of the remaining batteries have been removed and recycled in an ongoing cleanup effort. But about 5,000 are still onsite.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Those always have been at 100% capacity energized,” Cortez said during a Friday briefing. “So we actually had a good general idea of what the involvement could be.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Those always have been at 100% capacity energized,” Cortez said during a Friday briefing. “So we actually had a good general idea of what the involvement could be.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cortez said hundreds of batteries damaged during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022725/massive-fire-monterey-county-battery-plant-spews-toxic-smoke-forces-evacuations\">2025 Vistra battery fire\u003c/a> “spontaneously ignited” Friday morning. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kazami Brockman with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency told reporters that the agency’s air monitoring sites in the area had not detected concentrations of anything that exceeded healthy levels. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Kazami Brockman with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency told reporters that the agency’s air monitoring sites in the area had not detected concentrations of anything that exceeded healthy levels. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Following the 2025 fire, scientists \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999445/scientists-trace-heavy-metals-spread-by-januarys-huge-battery-fire-near-monterey\">found that concentrations of metals\u003c/a> were between 10 and 10,000 greater than before. Nearby residents complained of nausea and headaches. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Following the 2025 fire, scientists \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999445/scientists-trace-heavy-metals-spread-by-januarys-huge-battery-fire-near-monterey\">found that concentrations of metals\u003c/a> were between 10 and 10,000 greater than before. Nearby residents complained of nausea and headaches. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People do remain concerned,” County Supervisor Glenn Church said. “It is frustrating that it continues to happen.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“People do remain concerned,” County Supervisor Glenn Church said. “It is frustrating that it continues to happen.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials said that they expected the current fire to burn itself out by today. Cortez said the batteries were “in the smoldering stage.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials said that they expected the current fire to burn itself out by today. Cortez said the batteries were “in the smoldering stage.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The incident is very dynamic. There could be flare-ups, but that’s to be determined in the future,” Cortez said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s still not clear what caused the 2025 fire or the Friday fire.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Officials said idle batteries left from the 2025 Moss Landing fire spontaneously ignited Friday. ",
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"title": "Monterey Officials Lift Shelter-in-Place Order, End Road Closure Prompted by Power Plant Fire | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/monterey-county\">Monterey County\u003c/a> officials have lifted a shelter-in-place order prompted by a fire Friday morning at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/moss-landing\">Moss Landing\u003c/a> Power Plant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Firefighters from the North County Fire Protection District were dispatched to the Vistra Energy battery storage after 6:15 a.m., according to a release from the agency and the emergency warning center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Shelter-in-place orders were issued for the surrounding areas and the North Monterey County School District, as the county’s emergency management department coordinated with local, state and federal agencies. Traffic on Highway 1 in the Moss Landing area was impacted, and motorists were asked to avoid the area to allow emergency crews access.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12026949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-16-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Moss Landing Power Plant, the site of a battery fire on Jan. 16, in Moss Landing on Feb. 12, 2025. The power plant is a natural gas-fired power station with a large battery storage facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said Friday afternoon that the order and a road closure had been removed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials said the fire was not nearly as big as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022725/massive-fire-monterey-county-battery-plant-spews-toxic-smoke-forces-evacuations\">a 2025 fire \u003c/a>at the same Vistra battery storage plant, which burned for days and produced a plume of black smoke that was visible for miles. But some of the batteries damaged in that fire were “heavily involved” in the current blaze, according to North County Fire Protection District Chief Jess Cortez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The facility has been closed since the January 2025 fire destroyed over half of the approximately 100,000 batteries onsite, according to Vistra. Most of the remaining batteries have been removed and recycled in an ongoing cleanup effort. But about 5,000 are still onsite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Those always have been at 100% capacity energized,” Cortez said during a Friday briefing. “So we actually had a good general idea of what the involvement could be.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cortez said hundreds of batteries damaged during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022725/massive-fire-monterey-county-battery-plant-spews-toxic-smoke-forces-evacuations\">2025 Vistra battery fire\u003c/a> “spontaneously ignited” Friday morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kazami Brockman with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency told reporters that the agency’s air monitoring sites in the area had not detected concentrations of anything that exceeded healthy levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following the 2025 fire, scientists \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999445/scientists-trace-heavy-metals-spread-by-januarys-huge-battery-fire-near-monterey\">found that concentrations of metals\u003c/a> were between 10 and 10,000 greater than before. Nearby residents complained of nausea and headaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People do remain concerned,” County Supervisor Glenn Church said. “It is frustrating that it continues to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials said that they expected the current fire to burn itself out by today. Cortez said the batteries were “in the smoldering stage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The incident is very dynamic. There could be flare-ups, but that’s to be determined in the future,” Cortez said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s still not clear what caused the 2025 fire or the Friday fire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "what-to-do-if-you-see-a-mountain-lion-while-hiking-in-the-bay-area",
"title": "Another Mountain Lion Seen in San Francisco? What to Do If You Encounter One",
"publishDate": 1789753712,
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"headTitle": "Another Mountain Lion Seen in San Francisco? What to Do If You Encounter One | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Yet \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SanFranciscoACC/posts/pfbid0Gua8yrHfmTsd1oJWFp3Ukp44HLs1CTMfpXsoKhGMp4vbUsoLGTytqSJAMDGpaXeMl\">\u003cem>another \u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071216/san-francisco-mountain-lion-is-tranquilized-as-officials-work-to-capture-the-cougar\">mountain lion\u003c/a> has been \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/DanielLurie/status/2100988932871893476?s=20\">spotted \u003c/a>roaming the streets of San Francisco — this time, an animal sighted Friday in the Sunset District, on 44th Avenue near Ulloa Street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to a Friday statement from San Francisco Animal Care and Control, city authorities, officials from the state fish and wildlife department and staff from the San Francisco Zoo were dispatched to the scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By 11:15 a.m., a citywide alert announced the animal had been taken in the care of state game wardens and “there is no danger to the public.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This marks the second San Francisco mountain lion sighting in two weeks, after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcra.com/article/san-francisco-mountain-lion-sighting-panhandle/73632758\">another animal was seen\u003c/a> around the Panhandle earlier in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This latest sighting — in an urban setting — might have you wondering: “How exactly \u003cem>should \u003c/em>I react if I see a mountain lion?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Encountering a mountain lion up close\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Two decades ago, Zara McDonald was on a run in Marin near \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997579/bay-area-hikes-views-clouds-marine-inversion-layer\">Mount Tamalpais\u003c/a> around dusk when a mountain lion suddenly appeared above her, just 5 feet away — and stared at her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its eyes then fixed on something behind her, and the mountain lion disappeared back into the bushes. When she turned around, she saw three deer on the hillside behind her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I felt really small,” said McDonald, a biologist and researcher who’s now the founder and president of the \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/\">Bay Area Puma Project\u003c/a>, a local wild cat research and conservation organization that’s part of the \u003ca href=\"https://felidaefund.org/\">Felidae Conservation Fund\u003c/a>. “I disrupted his opportunity to get a meal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#avoid-mountain-lions\">How to avoid mountain lions — and what to do if you see one\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>And while she had fears, “he was not a threat,” she said. Rather, “I left feeling like I was an intruder.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For McDonald, this experience back in the early 2000s was “transformative” in how she saw humans’ relationship to nature. Now, her organization has around \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/our-work/remote-cameras\">200 cameras placed around the Bay Area\u003c/a> that collect data on mountain lion movement. The project also \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/updates/updates/bay-area-puma-project/scat-field-work-2024\">studies their fecal matter\u003c/a> for information on genetics and overall population health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052071\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052071\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-2000x1125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mountain lion stares into a wildlife camera on Sept. 9, 2023. \u003ccite>(Photo by Felidae Conservation Fund/Bay Area Puma Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The mountain lion is the second-largest cat in all of North America and is native to the Bay Area. While you may have never seen one, \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">40% of the state is considered suitable for mountain lion habitat,\u003c/a> making it likely that these elusive animals are around hiking trails or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897584/here-kitty-kitty-that-mountain-lion-spotted-in-bernal-heights-has-been-captured\">areas you might already be frequenting.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mountain lions are \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/science/apex-predator\">apex predators\u003c/a>, but experts say, for the most part, they just want to do their own thing. \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">According to the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife\u003c/a>, there have been only 26 total verified mountain lion attacks on humans in California in the last four decades — and four deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So how common are these animals, really? And how afraid should you be of them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Education is our best tool for preventing conflict,” McDonald said. “When people understand mountain lion behavior, fear turns into respect. And respect is the foundation of coexistence.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How do I know it’s a mountain lion?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You should know: \u003ca href=\"https://felidaefund.org/news/general/mistaken-mountain-lion-sightings-have-major-consequences\">upwards of 90% of all “mountain lion sightings” in California are not actually mountain lions\u003c/a>. And there are only about 3,200 to 4,500 lions across the entire state, said Mairan Smith, a CDFW unit biologist for the Bay Delta region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, they’re often confused for \u003ca href=\"https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/bobcat\">bobcats \u003c/a>or stray domestic cats. But an actual mountain lion will be:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.openspace.org/where-to-go/nature/mountain-lions\">Much larger\u003c/a>, with adult males reaching around 8 feet long and up to 150 pounds.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Gray, brown or tan in color with black-tipped ears.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Likely \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">traveling alone.\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCIOIbRtAWs\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where am I most likely to see a mountain lion?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Smith said they thrive in redwood forests, brushland and mountain environments — all of which are habitats found in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the animals can live almost everywhere in the state, most people who report sightings are closer to the rural-urban divide, she said — not only because these areas are more likely to be their habitat, but also because they’re often a source of livestock or other food.[aside postID=news_12042615 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/E.-CSL-Quly-left-and-Togozees_release_8-4-23_photo-by-Bill-Hunnewell-%C2%A9-The-Marine-Mammal-Center-2-1020x754.jpg']Mountain lions are predators, and their main prey is deer. “Wherever deer move, lions are going to follow,” McDonald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For food or other resources, they will travel across large territories — up to around 200 square miles for males, which makes places like urban parks, which connect them from area to area, so important, McDonald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Mountain lions are really trying to figure out how to get that space they need so they can move through it safely and reproduce,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given this movement, conservation experts want to keep populations of mountain lions connected — and join currently siloed groups to one another. John Benson, associate professor of Vertebrate Ecology at the University of Nebraska’s School of Natural Resources, is \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">studying population dynamics of mountain lions across California\u003c/a> to better “understand what we can do from a conservation perspective to get more connectivity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benson said the waters of the San Francisco Bay itself — \u003ca href=\"https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2688-8319.12093#:~:text=Our%20results%20indicate%20that%20mountain,human%20activity%20on%20the%20landscape.\">as well as human infrastructure like housing development and roads\u003c/a> — all play a role in dividing up populations in the Bay Area. And as mountain lions travel from one open space area to another, \u003ca href=\"https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.1013\">this may raise your chances of running into a mountain lion. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as mountain lions and human development share more of the same space, the danger to these animals increases. \u003ca href=\"https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/mountain-lion-mortality-maps-show-rough-road-cougars\">One of the leading causes of mountain lion mortalities is being struck by a car, McDonald said.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Mountain lions still live in the Bay Area and move through the Bay Area because we’ve preserved enough habitat to support them,” she said. “But along with that privilege comes the responsibility to coexist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McDonald called it a common misconception that mountain lions are becoming more adapted to humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YW3ESNuGWY\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing more mountain lion activity near urban edges — not because they’re changing but because we are, and development is pushing deeper into their habitat,” McDonald said. “It’s really just survival instinct for them. It’s not anything to do with humans — it’s in \u003cem>spite \u003c/em>of humans that they’re going into these areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How can I avoid \u003ca id=\"avoid-mountain-lions\">\u003c/a>mountain lion encounters altogether?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Around your home\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While attacks on humans by mountain lions are extremely rare, they are nonetheless “a risk to outdoor pets and livestock,” Smith said. “It’s really important to keep your pets inside.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That goes for outdoor cats and unsupervised dogs in yards as well as livestock like goats and sheep, she said — advising you keep them fully enclosed at night or consider other methods of safeguarding them, like a \u003ca href=\"https://monocounty.ca.gov/animal/page/livestock-protection-dogs\">livestock guardian dog\u003c/a> or noise deterrents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052075\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052075\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1448\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-2000x1131.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-1536x869.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-2048x1158.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A puma passes by a wildlife camera on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Video by Felidae Conservation Fund/ Bay Area Puma Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Anywhere in the Bay Area, if you have livestock, it’s something you should probably be thinking about,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also clear brush around your property or install lights if you’re worried about hiding spots for mountain lions, Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you feed stray cats that approach your home, Smith said that the food you leave out can also attract deer, and mountain lions may follow as they hunt their prey — the food itself might tempt them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Mountain lions will come up and eat cat food off of people’s porches,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for the most part, “the last thing most [mountain lions] want to do is encounter us,” Benson said. “In general, they do an excellent job of staying away from people and avoiding areas where they think they’re likely to run into people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>On the trail\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned about running into a mountain lion while walking or hiking on a trail, remember that they’re nocturnal and crepuscular animals — meaning they are most active at night and during the sunset and sunrise hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means that you can avoid being out on the trail altogether at those times — or allay your fears by traveling in pairs on trails if you know you’re in an area they inhabit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mountain lions also tend to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/yoursafety_mountainlions.htm\">stick to densely vegetated areas\u003c/a>. So if you’re worried about stumbling upon one, head to a more open area.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What to do if you see a mountain lion\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If the mountain lion is still some distance from you, and you think they haven’t yet noticed you, “you could just sort of quietly slip away,” Benson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the mountain lion has indeed spotted you, remember: “The last thing you want to do is run or show fear,” Benson said. Stand your ground, he said, and look as big as possible. If you have a dog or child with you, you can pick them up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you have a backpack, you can put that over your head to make yourself seem a bit bigger,” he said. If the mountain lion is advancing toward you, you can even throw rocks or sticks at it, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are certainly a lot of stories out there of people that successfully were able to fight the mountain lion off.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in general, remember: mountain lion attacks — especially fatal ones — are extremely rare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052047\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE01A_2023Nov12_puma-kittens4-scaled-e1755118173322.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mountain lion kittens are caught on wildlife cameras on Nov. 12, 2023. \u003ccite>( Felidae Conservation Fund/Bay Area Puma Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The most likely thing that will happen is that it will walk away,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And remember: Even just seeing a mountain lion is “pretty special,” she said. And if you do, you can report your sighting on the \u003ca href=\"https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir\">CDFW website,\u003c/a> which will be forwarded to a regional biologist for study, and the Bay Area Puma Project’s own \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/meet-puma/sightings\">Puma and Bobcat Sightings Map.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCeDp_MY_h4G6VWj_-VPl-BJlQ3Uya2H0vxRZZd_47BpXwVA/viewform?embedded=true\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/carlysevern\">Carly Severn\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Mountain lion attacks on humans are extremely rare, but they do happen. Here’s how to steer clear of mountain lions altogether and how to respond in the moment if you do see one.",
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"title": "Another Mountain Lion Seen in San Francisco? What to Do If You Encounter One | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Yet \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SanFranciscoACC/posts/pfbid0Gua8yrHfmTsd1oJWFp3Ukp44HLs1CTMfpXsoKhGMp4vbUsoLGTytqSJAMDGpaXeMl\">\u003cem>another \u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071216/san-francisco-mountain-lion-is-tranquilized-as-officials-work-to-capture-the-cougar\">mountain lion\u003c/a> has been \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/DanielLurie/status/2100988932871893476?s=20\">spotted \u003c/a>roaming the streets of San Francisco — this time, an animal sighted Friday in the Sunset District, on 44th Avenue near Ulloa Street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to a Friday statement from San Francisco Animal Care and Control, city authorities, officials from the state fish and wildlife department and staff from the San Francisco Zoo were dispatched to the scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By 11:15 a.m., a citywide alert announced the animal had been taken in the care of state game wardens and “there is no danger to the public.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This marks the second San Francisco mountain lion sighting in two weeks, after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcra.com/article/san-francisco-mountain-lion-sighting-panhandle/73632758\">another animal was seen\u003c/a> around the Panhandle earlier in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This latest sighting — in an urban setting — might have you wondering: “How exactly \u003cem>should \u003c/em>I react if I see a mountain lion?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Encountering a mountain lion up close\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Two decades ago, Zara McDonald was on a run in Marin near \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997579/bay-area-hikes-views-clouds-marine-inversion-layer\">Mount Tamalpais\u003c/a> around dusk when a mountain lion suddenly appeared above her, just 5 feet away — and stared at her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its eyes then fixed on something behind her, and the mountain lion disappeared back into the bushes. When she turned around, she saw three deer on the hillside behind her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I felt really small,” said McDonald, a biologist and researcher who’s now the founder and president of the \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/\">Bay Area Puma Project\u003c/a>, a local wild cat research and conservation organization that’s part of the \u003ca href=\"https://felidaefund.org/\">Felidae Conservation Fund\u003c/a>. “I disrupted his opportunity to get a meal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#avoid-mountain-lions\">How to avoid mountain lions — and what to do if you see one\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>And while she had fears, “he was not a threat,” she said. Rather, “I left feeling like I was an intruder.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For McDonald, this experience back in the early 2000s was “transformative” in how she saw humans’ relationship to nature. Now, her organization has around \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/our-work/remote-cameras\">200 cameras placed around the Bay Area\u003c/a> that collect data on mountain lion movement. The project also \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/updates/updates/bay-area-puma-project/scat-field-work-2024\">studies their fecal matter\u003c/a> for information on genetics and overall population health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052071\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052071\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-2000x1125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Coe01_Sep-9-2023_puma-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mountain lion stares into a wildlife camera on Sept. 9, 2023. \u003ccite>(Photo by Felidae Conservation Fund/Bay Area Puma Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The mountain lion is the second-largest cat in all of North America and is native to the Bay Area. While you may have never seen one, \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">40% of the state is considered suitable for mountain lion habitat,\u003c/a> making it likely that these elusive animals are around hiking trails or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897584/here-kitty-kitty-that-mountain-lion-spotted-in-bernal-heights-has-been-captured\">areas you might already be frequenting.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mountain lions are \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/science/apex-predator\">apex predators\u003c/a>, but experts say, for the most part, they just want to do their own thing. \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">According to the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife\u003c/a>, there have been only 26 total verified mountain lion attacks on humans in California in the last four decades — and four deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So how common are these animals, really? And how afraid should you be of them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Education is our best tool for preventing conflict,” McDonald said. “When people understand mountain lion behavior, fear turns into respect. And respect is the foundation of coexistence.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How do I know it’s a mountain lion?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You should know: \u003ca href=\"https://felidaefund.org/news/general/mistaken-mountain-lion-sightings-have-major-consequences\">upwards of 90% of all “mountain lion sightings” in California are not actually mountain lions\u003c/a>. And there are only about 3,200 to 4,500 lions across the entire state, said Mairan Smith, a CDFW unit biologist for the Bay Delta region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, they’re often confused for \u003ca href=\"https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/bobcat\">bobcats \u003c/a>or stray domestic cats. But an actual mountain lion will be:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.openspace.org/where-to-go/nature/mountain-lions\">Much larger\u003c/a>, with adult males reaching around 8 feet long and up to 150 pounds.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Gray, brown or tan in color with black-tipped ears.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Likely \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">traveling alone.\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/jCIOIbRtAWs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/jCIOIbRtAWs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch2>Where am I most likely to see a mountain lion?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Smith said they thrive in redwood forests, brushland and mountain environments — all of which are habitats found in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the animals can live almost everywhere in the state, most people who report sightings are closer to the rural-urban divide, she said — not only because these areas are more likely to be their habitat, but also because they’re often a source of livestock or other food.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Mountain lions are predators, and their main prey is deer. “Wherever deer move, lions are going to follow,” McDonald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For food or other resources, they will travel across large territories — up to around 200 square miles for males, which makes places like urban parks, which connect them from area to area, so important, McDonald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Mountain lions are really trying to figure out how to get that space they need so they can move through it safely and reproduce,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given this movement, conservation experts want to keep populations of mountain lions connected — and join currently siloed groups to one another. John Benson, associate professor of Vertebrate Ecology at the University of Nebraska’s School of Natural Resources, is \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion#632445330-statewide-integrated-population-modeling\">studying population dynamics of mountain lions across California\u003c/a> to better “understand what we can do from a conservation perspective to get more connectivity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benson said the waters of the San Francisco Bay itself — \u003ca href=\"https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2688-8319.12093#:~:text=Our%20results%20indicate%20that%20mountain,human%20activity%20on%20the%20landscape.\">as well as human infrastructure like housing development and roads\u003c/a> — all play a role in dividing up populations in the Bay Area. And as mountain lions travel from one open space area to another, \u003ca href=\"https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.1013\">this may raise your chances of running into a mountain lion. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as mountain lions and human development share more of the same space, the danger to these animals increases. \u003ca href=\"https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/mountain-lion-mortality-maps-show-rough-road-cougars\">One of the leading causes of mountain lion mortalities is being struck by a car, McDonald said.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Mountain lions still live in the Bay Area and move through the Bay Area because we’ve preserved enough habitat to support them,” she said. “But along with that privilege comes the responsibility to coexist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McDonald called it a common misconception that mountain lions are becoming more adapted to humans.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/0YW3ESNuGWY'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/0YW3ESNuGWY'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“We’re seeing more mountain lion activity near urban edges — not because they’re changing but because we are, and development is pushing deeper into their habitat,” McDonald said. “It’s really just survival instinct for them. It’s not anything to do with humans — it’s in \u003cem>spite \u003c/em>of humans that they’re going into these areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How can I avoid \u003ca id=\"avoid-mountain-lions\">\u003c/a>mountain lion encounters altogether?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Around your home\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While attacks on humans by mountain lions are extremely rare, they are nonetheless “a risk to outdoor pets and livestock,” Smith said. “It’s really important to keep your pets inside.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That goes for outdoor cats and unsupervised dogs in yards as well as livestock like goats and sheep, she said — advising you keep them fully enclosed at night or consider other methods of safeguarding them, like a \u003ca href=\"https://monocounty.ca.gov/animal/page/livestock-protection-dogs\">livestock guardian dog\u003c/a> or noise deterrents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052075\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052075\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1448\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-2000x1131.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-1536x869.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE06A_2024Feb12_puma3-2048x1158.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A puma passes by a wildlife camera on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Video by Felidae Conservation Fund/ Bay Area Puma Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Anywhere in the Bay Area, if you have livestock, it’s something you should probably be thinking about,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also clear brush around your property or install lights if you’re worried about hiding spots for mountain lions, Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you feed stray cats that approach your home, Smith said that the food you leave out can also attract deer, and mountain lions may follow as they hunt their prey — the food itself might tempt them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Mountain lions will come up and eat cat food off of people’s porches,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for the most part, “the last thing most [mountain lions] want to do is encounter us,” Benson said. “In general, they do an excellent job of staying away from people and avoiding areas where they think they’re likely to run into people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>On the trail\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned about running into a mountain lion while walking or hiking on a trail, remember that they’re nocturnal and crepuscular animals — meaning they are most active at night and during the sunset and sunrise hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means that you can avoid being out on the trail altogether at those times — or allay your fears by traveling in pairs on trails if you know you’re in an area they inhabit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mountain lions also tend to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/yoursafety_mountainlions.htm\">stick to densely vegetated areas\u003c/a>. So if you’re worried about stumbling upon one, head to a more open area.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What to do if you see a mountain lion\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If the mountain lion is still some distance from you, and you think they haven’t yet noticed you, “you could just sort of quietly slip away,” Benson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the mountain lion has indeed spotted you, remember: “The last thing you want to do is run or show fear,” Benson said. Stand your ground, he said, and look as big as possible. If you have a dog or child with you, you can pick them up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you have a backpack, you can put that over your head to make yourself seem a bit bigger,” he said. If the mountain lion is advancing toward you, you can even throw rocks or sticks at it, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are certainly a lot of stories out there of people that successfully were able to fight the mountain lion off.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in general, remember: mountain lion attacks — especially fatal ones — are extremely rare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052047\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/COE01A_2023Nov12_puma-kittens4-scaled-e1755118173322.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mountain lion kittens are caught on wildlife cameras on Nov. 12, 2023. \u003ccite>( Felidae Conservation Fund/Bay Area Puma Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The most likely thing that will happen is that it will walk away,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And remember: Even just seeing a mountain lion is “pretty special,” she said. And if you do, you can report your sighting on the \u003ca href=\"https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir\">CDFW website,\u003c/a> which will be forwarded to a regional biologist for study, and the Bay Area Puma Project’s own \u003ca href=\"https://bapp.org/meet-puma/sightings\">Puma and Bobcat Sightings Map.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe\n src='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCeDp_MY_h4G6VWj_-VPl-BJlQ3Uya2H0vxRZZd_47BpXwVA/viewform?embedded=true?embedded=true'\n title='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCeDp_MY_h4G6VWj_-VPl-BJlQ3Uya2H0vxRZZd_47BpXwVA/viewform?embedded=true'\n width='760' height='500'\n frameborder='0'\n marginheight='0' marginwidth='0'>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/carlysevern\">Carly Severn\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "fast-moving-wildfire-near-truckee-closes-span-of-i-80",
"title": "As Fast-Moving Wildfire Near Truckee Burns 640 Acres, I-80 Remains Closed",
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"headTitle": "As Fast-Moving Wildfire Near Truckee Burns 640 Acres, I-80 Remains Closed | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093449\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Cal Fire patch is seen on the shoulder of a firefighter on Sept. 26, 2025, in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Although it’s late in the season and the temperatures have dropped significantly, we’re still really dry,” said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for CalFire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel moisture in the area is at a historic low after an abnormally dry winter and there’s zero precipitation in the long-range forecast, Vestal said. “We didn’t have a huge winter last year, so some of the larger diameter stuff did not have the opportunity to absorb the moisture that it would have in a more productive winter.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is the sixth fire reported in Nevada County this summer, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">CalFire’s archive\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bulldozers and hand crews made significant progress securing the perimeter of the fire overnight, Vestal said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>20 engines, 10 water tenders, two helicopters, eight dozers and 12 hand firefighting crews continue to combat the blaze this morning which is now 5% contained according to CalFire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Portions of both Nevada County and Sierra County remain under evacuation warnings today, CalFire said, and an evacuation order is in place for Nevada County, NCO-E379-A. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Highway Patrol said there is currently no estimate for reopening I-80 and urged motorists to avoid the area and expect significant delays.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire said residents should continue to pay attention to both Sierra and Nevada County’s Sheriff’s offices for additional updates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093449\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Cal Fire patch is seen on the shoulder of a firefighter on Sept. 26, 2025, in San Diego, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Although it’s late in the season and the temperatures have dropped significantly, we’re still really dry,” said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for CalFire. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Although it’s late in the season and the temperatures have dropped significantly, we’re still really dry,” said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for CalFire. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fuel moisture in the area is at a historic low after an abnormally dry winter and there’s zero precipitation in the long-range forecast, Vestal said. “We didn’t have a huge winter last year, so some of the larger diameter stuff did not have the opportunity to absorb the moisture that it would have in a more productive winter.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fuel moisture in the area is at a historic low after an abnormally dry winter and there’s zero precipitation in the long-range forecast, Vestal said. “We didn’t have a huge winter last year, so some of the larger diameter stuff did not have the opportunity to absorb the moisture that it would have in a more productive winter.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is the sixth fire reported in Nevada County this summer, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">CalFire’s archive\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is the sixth fire reported in Nevada County this summer, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">CalFire’s archive\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bulldozers and hand crews made significant progress securing the perimeter of the fire overnight, Vestal said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bulldozers and hand crews made significant progress securing the perimeter of the fire overnight, Vestal said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>20 engines, 10 water tenders, two helicopters, eight dozers and 12 hand firefighting crews continue to combat the blaze this morning which is now 5% contained according to CalFire.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>20 engines, 10 water tenders, two helicopters, eight dozers and 12 hand firefighting crews continue to combat the blaze this morning which is now 5% contained according to CalFire.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Portions of both Nevada County and Sierra County remain under evacuation warnings today, CalFire said, and an evacuation order is in place for Nevada County, NCO-E379-A. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Portions of both Nevada County and Sierra County remain under evacuation warnings today, CalFire said, and an evacuation order is in place for Nevada County, NCO-E379-A. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Highway Patrol said there is currently no estimate for reopening I-80 and urged motorists to avoid the area and expect significant delays.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CalFire said residents should continue to pay attention to both Sierra and Nevada County’s Sheriff’s offices for additional updates. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CalFire said residents should continue to pay attention to both Sierra and Nevada County’s Sheriff’s offices for additional updates. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The fire continues to burn with a dry weekend ahead, according to CalFire.",
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"title": "As Fast-Moving Wildfire Near Truckee Burns 640 Acres, I-80 Remains Closed | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093449\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Cal Fire patch is seen on the shoulder of a firefighter on Sept. 26, 2025, in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Although it’s late in the season and the temperatures have dropped significantly, we’re still really dry,” said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for CalFire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel moisture in the area is at a historic low after an abnormally dry winter and there’s zero precipitation in the long-range forecast, Vestal said. “We didn’t have a huge winter last year, so some of the larger diameter stuff did not have the opportunity to absorb the moisture that it would have in a more productive winter.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is the sixth fire reported in Nevada County this summer, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">CalFire’s archive\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bulldozers and hand crews made significant progress securing the perimeter of the fire overnight, Vestal said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>20 engines, 10 water tenders, two helicopters, eight dozers and 12 hand firefighting crews continue to combat the blaze this morning which is now 5% contained according to CalFire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Portions of both Nevada County and Sierra County remain under evacuation warnings today, CalFire said, and an evacuation order is in place for Nevada County, NCO-E379-A. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Highway Patrol said there is currently no estimate for reopening I-80 and urged motorists to avoid the area and expect significant delays.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire said residents should continue to pay attention to both Sierra and Nevada County’s Sheriff’s offices for additional updates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "why-sick-sea-lions-are-washing-up-on-california-beaches-right-now",
"title": "Why Sick Sea Lions Are Washing Up on California Beaches Right Now",
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"headTitle": "Why Sick Sea Lions Are Washing Up on California Beaches Right Now | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1914632/algae-poisoned-sea-lions-inundate-marine-mammal-center\">sea lions\u003c/a> are in trouble. A toxic algal bloom has caused a rash of poisonings, leaving the mammals confused, lethargic and, in some cases, dead along the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dozens of sea lions have been sickened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1931779/scientists-uncover-genetic-basis-for-toxic-algal-blooms\">domoic acid\u003c/a> poisoning, caused by a toxin in algae that can cause seizures and even heart failure. Signs of exposure in sea lions include lethargy, disorientation, tremors, twitching and seizures. The animals ingest the naturally occurring neurotoxin by eating fish or shellfish. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two California sea lions suffering from domoic acid toxicosis are admitted to The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events and accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies. These small fish are a major food source for marine mammals like sea lions, which is how they can become poisoned by this toxin. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for the center, said dispatchers are receiving up to 600 calls a day reporting sick sea lions. Over the past week, the center rescued around 30 sea lions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen a major flare-up in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties,” Rulli said. “This is highly emotional, and it can be very disturbing to see an animal that’s not in control of itself out on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Additional rescues have taken place in San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties. The center has also treated a handful of northern fur seals. Treating a single mammal can require up to six trained responders and may involve repeated doses of antiseizure medication. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098095\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098095\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lethargic California sea lion with domoic acid toxicosis is transported by The Marine Mammal Center’s Morro Bay response team to be treated at the Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" data-id=\"12098094\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098094\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California, the veterinary team shows a side-by-side comparison of two California sea lion brains. The left brain shows a normal California sea lion brain section. The right brain depicts a California sea lion brain that has been affected by domoic acid exposure, where there is a noticeably shrunken hippocampus in the center of the brain section. (Courtesy of The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rulli said the cases are a sign that the toxin has worked its way through the food chain in “a short-term burst,” but said the center is also seeing chronic cases where sea lions have “brain lesions and permanent heart damage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Along the northern California coast, marine algal blooms are primarily caused by natural factors such as ocean upwelling of nutrient-rich water and warm ocean temperatures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polluted runoff from agriculture and other human activities also feed blooms, a factor projected to become more frequent and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/harmful-algal-blooms/about/harmful-algal-blooms-contributing-factors-and-impacts.html\">severe\u003c/a> due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can thrive both in cold water conditions during La Niña years with strong marine upwelling and strong offshore winds, as well as during more heated environments like this current heat wave in El Niño that’s forming in the Pacific,” Rulli said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s really no clear indication of whether what’s forming in the Pacific is a one-year blip or maybe more sustained, as we saw a decade-plus ago,” Rulli said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Beachgoers who see an affected mammal should not crowd or touch the animal, and should call The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline, 415-289-7325 or 415-289-SEAL.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dozens of sea lions have been sickened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1931779/scientists-uncover-genetic-basis-for-toxic-algal-blooms\">domoic acid\u003c/a> poisoning, caused by a toxin in algae that can cause seizures and even heart failure. Signs of exposure in sea lions include lethargy, disorientation, tremors, twitching and seizures. The animals ingest the naturally occurring neurotoxin by eating fish or shellfish. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two California sea lions suffering from domoic acid toxicosis are admitted to The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events and accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies. These small fish are a major food source for marine mammals like sea lions, which is how they can become poisoned by this toxin.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for the center, said dispatchers are receiving up to 600 calls a day reporting sick sea lions. Over the past week, the center rescued around 30 sea lions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen a major flare-up in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties,” Rulli said. “This is highly emotional, and it can be very disturbing to see an animal that’s not in control of itself out on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Additional rescues have taken place in San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties. The center has also treated a handful of northern fur seals. Treating a single mammal can require up to six trained responders and may involve repeated doses of antiseizure medication. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098095\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lethargic California sea lion with domoic acid toxicosis is transported by The Marine Mammal Center’s Morro Bay response team to be treated at the Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098094\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California, the veterinary team shows a side-by-side comparison of two California sea lion brains. The left brain shows a normal California sea lion brain section. The right brain depicts a California sea lion brain that has been affected by domoic acid exposure, where there is a noticeably shrunken hippocampus in the center of the brain section.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rulli said the cases are a sign that the toxin has worked its way through the food chain in “a short-term burst,” but said the center is also seeing chronic cases where sea lions have “brain lesions and permanent heart damage.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Along the northern California coast, marine algal blooms are primarily caused by natural factors such as ocean upwelling of nutrient-rich water and warm ocean temperatures. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Polluted runoff from agriculture and other human activities also feed blooms, a factor projected to become more frequent and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/harmful-algal-blooms/about/harmful-algal-blooms-contributing-factors-and-impacts.html\">severe\u003c/a> due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It can thrive both in cold water conditions during La Niña years with strong marine upwelling and strong offshore winds, as well as during more heated environments like this current heat wave in El Niño that’s forming in the Pacific,” Rulli said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s really no clear indication of whether what’s forming in the Pacific is a one-year blip or maybe more sustained, as we saw a decade-plus ago,” Rulli said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Beachgoers who see an affected mammal should not crowd or touch the animal, and should call The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline, 415-289-7325 or 415-289-SEAL.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A toxic algal bloom is causing a crisis for coastal mammals. El Niño could make it worse. \n",
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"title": "Why Sick Sea Lions Are Washing Up on California Beaches Right Now | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1914632/algae-poisoned-sea-lions-inundate-marine-mammal-center\">sea lions\u003c/a> are in trouble. A toxic algal bloom has caused a rash of poisonings, leaving the mammals confused, lethargic and, in some cases, dead along the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dozens of sea lions have been sickened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1931779/scientists-uncover-genetic-basis-for-toxic-algal-blooms\">domoic acid\u003c/a> poisoning, caused by a toxin in algae that can cause seizures and even heart failure. Signs of exposure in sea lions include lethargy, disorientation, tremors, twitching and seizures. The animals ingest the naturally occurring neurotoxin by eating fish or shellfish. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two California sea lions suffering from domoic acid toxicosis are admitted to The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events and accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies. These small fish are a major food source for marine mammals like sea lions, which is how they can become poisoned by this toxin. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for the center, said dispatchers are receiving up to 600 calls a day reporting sick sea lions. Over the past week, the center rescued around 30 sea lions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen a major flare-up in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties,” Rulli said. “This is highly emotional, and it can be very disturbing to see an animal that’s not in control of itself out on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Additional rescues have taken place in San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties. The center has also treated a handful of northern fur seals. Treating a single mammal can require up to six trained responders and may involve repeated doses of antiseizure medication. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098095\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098095\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lethargic California sea lion with domoic acid toxicosis is transported by The Marine Mammal Center’s Morro Bay response team to be treated at the Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" data-id=\"12098094\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098094\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California, the veterinary team shows a side-by-side comparison of two California sea lion brains. The left brain shows a normal California sea lion brain section. The right brain depicts a California sea lion brain that has been affected by domoic acid exposure, where there is a noticeably shrunken hippocampus in the center of the brain section. (Courtesy of The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rulli said the cases are a sign that the toxin has worked its way through the food chain in “a short-term burst,” but said the center is also seeing chronic cases where sea lions have “brain lesions and permanent heart damage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Along the northern California coast, marine algal blooms are primarily caused by natural factors such as ocean upwelling of nutrient-rich water and warm ocean temperatures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polluted runoff from agriculture and other human activities also feed blooms, a factor projected to become more frequent and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/harmful-algal-blooms/about/harmful-algal-blooms-contributing-factors-and-impacts.html\">severe\u003c/a> due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can thrive both in cold water conditions during La Niña years with strong marine upwelling and strong offshore winds, as well as during more heated environments like this current heat wave in El Niño that’s forming in the Pacific,” Rulli said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s really no clear indication of whether what’s forming in the Pacific is a one-year blip or maybe more sustained, as we saw a decade-plus ago,” Rulli said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Beachgoers who see an affected mammal should not crowd or touch the animal, and should call The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline, 415-289-7325 or 415-289-SEAL.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "nepali-solidarity-takes-root-in-east-bay-after-apocalyptic-flash-flooding",
"title": "Nepali Solidarity Takes Root in East Bay After ‘Apocalyptic’ Flash Flooding",
"publishDate": 1788034060,
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"headTitle": "Nepali Solidarity Takes Root in East Bay After ‘Apocalyptic’ Flash Flooding | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>More than a dozen members of Janak Raj Dhungana’s family are still missing following the flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Another two dozen of the \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond \u003c/a>resident’s friends – some from his childhood in Nepal – are also unaccounted for. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really very hard to control my emotions,” he said at a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond. “We are praying for them. We can’t do nothing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least 676 people died in the flooding that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, and almost 3,000 people are still missing, according to Saturday morning figures from both governments. Nepali authorities said that 65 U.S. citizens are among the missing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees sit and stand around candles arranged on the ground during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj Dhungana was with about 100 people who said a prayer thousands of miles away for their families and friends who number among the missing and dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Members of the Nepali Association of Northern California bowed their heads on Friday night at its community center, surrounding candles they had placed on the ground in patterns. One of the arrangements spelled out the word: “PRAY.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sheela Dawadi, a Pittsburg resident, said she doesn’t have any blood relatives affected by the floods, but that “family” includes everyone right now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097503\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheela Dawadi kneels as she places rows of candles before a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[The whole of] Nepal is family right now,” Dawadi said. “I’m far away. I feel so hopeless.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to upwards of 35,000 Nepali people in the diaspora, according to Preetesh Karki, president of the Nepali Association of Northern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey said the flooding was “likely triggered” by rapid slope failure that involved a glacier. Though the agency hasn’t definitely said the cause is a melting glacier and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08/28/world/nepal-tibet-flash-floods\">an investigation into the incident\u003c/a> is still underway, climate experts say that it’s likely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12097504\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097504\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee bows her head as people gather around candles during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12097501\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097501\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yashoda Bhattarai, center, and her daughter Ravya listen to speakers during a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal, apocalyptic for all of us,” Lamsal said at the vigil. “It is not only Nepal that is suffering right now, it’s all the community in the world because global warming is real.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Karki agreed, blasting other countries that disproportionately contribute to climate change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People from a country like mine who have nothing to do with all this impact are the people who are losing life,” Karki said before the vigil. “Nepal don’t just need your prayer. We need your apology.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097510\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees light candles during a vigil for victims of flooding in Nepal at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nepal contributed less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. In comparison, the U.S. made up 15.5% and China, 32.1%, that same year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The recent wars in Iran and Russia also contribute to the increase in emissions, Karki said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People living in the world, especially in developed countries, are enjoying their everyday life, that luxury is being paid by someone remote who has nothing to do [with it],” Karki said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Nepali Association of Northern California said it is \u003ca href=\"https://nancusa.org/donations/support-nepal-flood-victims/\">doubling donations\u003c/a> going toward flood relief.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/psibulo\">\u003cem>Paula Sibulo\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmonahan\">\u003cem>Katherine Monahan\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>More than a dozen members of Janak Raj Dhungana’s family are still missing following the flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Another two dozen of the \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond \u003c/a>resident’s friends – some from his childhood in Nepal – are also unaccounted for. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>More than a dozen members of Janak Raj Dhungana’s family are still missing following the flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Another two dozen of the \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond \u003c/a>resident’s friends – some from his childhood in Nepal – are also unaccounted for. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s really very hard to control my emotions,” he said at a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond. “We are praying for them. We can’t do nothing.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s really very hard to control my emotions,” he said at a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond. “We are praying for them. We can’t do nothing.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At least 676 people died in the flooding that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, and almost 3,000 people are still missing, according to Saturday morning figures from both governments. Nepali authorities said that 65 U.S. citizens are among the missing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At least 676 people died in the flooding that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, and almost 3,000 people are still missing, according to Saturday morning figures from both governments. Nepali authorities said that 65 U.S. citizens are among the missing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees sit and stand around candles arranged on the ground during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097502\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees sit and stand around candles arranged on the ground during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raj Dhungana was with about 100 people who said a prayer thousands of miles away for their families and friends who number among the missing and dead.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Members of the Nepali Association of Northern California bowed their heads on Friday night at its community center, surrounding candles they had placed on the ground in patterns. One of the arrangements spelled out the word: “PRAY.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sheela Dawadi, a Pittsburg resident, said she doesn’t have any blood relatives affected by the floods, but that “family” includes everyone right now. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097503\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheela Dawadi kneels as she places rows of candles before a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“[The whole of] Nepal is family right now,” Dawadi said. “I’m far away. I feel so hopeless.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to upwards of 35,000 Nepali people in the diaspora, according to Preetesh Karki, president of the Nepali Association of Northern California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey said the flooding was “likely triggered” by rapid slope failure that involved a glacier. Though the agency hasn’t definitely said the cause is a melting glacier and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08/28/world/nepal-tibet-flash-floods\">an investigation into the incident\u003c/a> is still underway, climate experts say that it’s likely. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal, apocalyptic for all of us,” Lamsal said at the vigil. “It is not only Nepal that is suffering right now, it’s all the community in the world because global warming is real.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People from a country like mine who have nothing to do with all this impact are the people who are losing life,” Karki said before the vigil. “Nepal don’t just need your prayer. We need your apology.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097510\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees light candles during a vigil for victims of flooding in Nepal at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nepal contributed less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. In comparison, the U.S. made up 15.5% and China, 32.1%, that same year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nepal contributed less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. In comparison, the U.S. made up 15.5% and China, 32.1%, that same year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The recent wars in Iran and Russia also contribute to the increase in emissions, Karki said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People living in the world, especially in developed countries, are enjoying their everyday life, that luxury is being paid by someone remote who has nothing to do [with it],” Karki said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Nepali Association of Northern California said it is \u003ca href=\"https://nancusa.org/donations/support-nepal-flood-victims/\">doubling donations\u003c/a> going toward flood relief.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/psibulo\">\u003cem>Paula Sibulo\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmonahan\">\u003cem>Katherine Monahan\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Contra Costa residents prayed for loved ones following this week’s flash flooding at the country’s border while blasting climate change for the event. ",
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"title": "Nepali Solidarity Takes Root in East Bay After ‘Apocalyptic’ Flash Flooding | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>More than a dozen members of Janak Raj Dhungana’s family are still missing following the flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Another two dozen of the \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond \u003c/a>resident’s friends – some from his childhood in Nepal – are also unaccounted for. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really very hard to control my emotions,” he said at a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond. “We are praying for them. We can’t do nothing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least 676 people died in the flooding that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, and almost 3,000 people are still missing, according to Saturday morning figures from both governments. Nepali authorities said that 65 U.S. citizens are among the missing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees sit and stand around candles arranged on the ground during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj Dhungana was with about 100 people who said a prayer thousands of miles away for their families and friends who number among the missing and dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Members of the Nepali Association of Northern California bowed their heads on Friday night at its community center, surrounding candles they had placed on the ground in patterns. One of the arrangements spelled out the word: “PRAY.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sheela Dawadi, a Pittsburg resident, said she doesn’t have any blood relatives affected by the floods, but that “family” includes everyone right now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097503\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheela Dawadi kneels as she places rows of candles before a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[The whole of] Nepal is family right now,” Dawadi said. “I’m far away. I feel so hopeless.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to upwards of 35,000 Nepali people in the diaspora, according to Preetesh Karki, president of the Nepali Association of Northern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey said the flooding was “likely triggered” by rapid slope failure that involved a glacier. Though the agency hasn’t definitely said the cause is a melting glacier and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08/28/world/nepal-tibet-flash-floods\">an investigation into the incident\u003c/a> is still underway, climate experts say that it’s likely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12097504\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097504\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee bows her head as people gather around candles during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12097501\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097501\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yashoda Bhattarai, center, and her daughter Ravya listen to speakers during a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal, apocalyptic for all of us,” Lamsal said at the vigil. “It is not only Nepal that is suffering right now, it’s all the community in the world because global warming is real.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Karki agreed, blasting other countries that disproportionately contribute to climate change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People from a country like mine who have nothing to do with all this impact are the people who are losing life,” Karki said before the vigil. “Nepal don’t just need your prayer. We need your apology.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097510\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees light candles during a vigil for victims of flooding in Nepal at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nepal contributed less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. In comparison, the U.S. made up 15.5% and China, 32.1%, that same year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The recent wars in Iran and Russia also contribute to the increase in emissions, Karki said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People living in the world, especially in developed countries, are enjoying their everyday life, that luxury is being paid by someone remote who has nothing to do [with it],” Karki said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Nepali Association of Northern California said it is \u003ca href=\"https://nancusa.org/donations/support-nepal-flood-victims/\">doubling donations\u003c/a> going toward flood relief.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/psibulo\">\u003cem>Paula Sibulo\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmonahan\">\u003cem>Katherine Monahan\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure",
"title": "Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure",
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"headTitle": "Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1620\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg 1620w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1620px) 100vw, 1620px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg 1620w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "New evacuation orders are in place as the wildfire in Big Sur approaches 19,000 acres.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1620\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg 1620w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1620px) 100vw, 1620px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"onourwatch": {
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
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"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
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