As you may know, there’s a Senate Bill moving through the legislative process that would widen highway 101 at
Richardson Grove to allow Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) trucks to
haul live cattle South from Humboldt for slaughter. The widening
might require the removal of old-growth redwoods.
While there have been some interesting ideas that would preclude cutting the trees, such as installing traffic
lights at either end to allow nighttime one-way traffic to accommodate the
trucks, there is perhaps a local solution -- a Humboldt County slaughter
house.
Why ship cattle south when
processing and packaging could happen here, creating jobs and high-quality local
products? And for the motivated entrepreneur, money from the
Headwaters Fund could be accessed to start the business. The Fund
is currently accepting applications.
The slaughter house could also
service Del Norte, though adjustments to the highway may still be required at
Big Lagoon.
