Daily Triplicate - 'My heart is in Crescent City'
Harbormaster to stay; federal help is sought
Emergency meetings were held by the City Council, Del Norte County Board of Supervisors and Harbor District to officially declare the county a disaster area.
Harbormaster Richard Young announced at the Tuesday night harbor meeting that he has decided to stay in Crescent City despite previously accepting a position as a marina manager in Vallejo.
“My heart is in Crescent City,” Young said during Monday night's town hall meeting.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Fish and Game continued working to contain gasoline spillage within a sectioned-off area, and moving wreckage.
As a result of Friday's tsunami, 16 boats sank in the harbor and 47 were damaged. Officials said it's going to take time to survey and document all the damage.
The cleanup is expected to last about three weeks, depending on the weather. Young said the harbor is working to determine whether temporary docks or moorings can be placed in the harbor.
“We're working on a plan to test the pilings,” Young said Monday.
The harbor contracted with Snoozie Shavings, Inc. to destroy some of the derelict boats that were taking up space in the harbor, and at least three were destroyed Tuesday, Young said.
Throughout the day, elected officials held emergency meetings to declare the county a disaster area. Officials said the declarations will be sent to the state to ultimately request federal funding.
Multiple boat owners and fisherman expressed dismay during Monday night's town hall meeting at having to follow agency restrictions and wait for additional funding to rebuild the harbor.
Councilwoman Kelly Schellong addressed the nearly 200 attendees and said people will have to be patient with the political system.
“What I'm learning is we have to follow protocol to get the reimbursement,” Schellong said.
The local declarations will be sent to the state, packaged with the governor's emergency declaration from Friday, and sent to Washington, D.C.
State Sen. Doug LaMalfa said Tuesday he hopes the declarations will make it to the federal government within one or two days so a decision can be made by the end of the week.
“I would hope by the end of Friday they would have that figured out,” LaMalfa said, adding that in a worst-case scenario it might take four to five days to get a decision.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson said he has confidence in state officials and their ability to collaborate. However, he cautioned they shouldn't be too hasty with their requests.
“You don't want the state folks to rush this thing,” Thompson told The Triplicate on Tuesday. “If they rush the request, and they ask for something less than what they should be getting, it's really hard to come back for a second bite of the apple.”
Thompson said “there will be no stone left unturned” in the search for funds to rebuild the harbor and assist out-of-work fisherman, though he admitted finding the money won't be a simple task.
“Times are real tough,” Thompson said. “(An obstacle is) the fact that the federal government is in a fiscal tough place right now.”
Thompson said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may have some grants available, and fisherman might be able to receive financial aid through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“They have different types of assistance loan programs,” Thompson said.
The Del Norte Workforce Center is currently attempting to tally all of the business losses related to the tsunami in order to apply for a national emergency grant. Business owners can visit the center at 286 M St. to submit their information.
Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro said funds should be available to the county through the California Emergency Management Agency.
“CalEMA personnel are in Crescent City now working with FEMA and local officials to complete a full damage assessment,” Chesbro said in a statement Tuesday.
He said once the assessment is complete, officials can “determine what state and federal assistance will be available to help rebuild the harbor and assist individuals who suffered a financial loss.”
LaMalfa said state officials will look at aid for fisherman once the harbor is cleaned up and federal funds are secured.
“We'll have to see what options are available to sustain people,” LaMalfa said.
The first priority is getting the harbor working again, LaMalfa said. He said the government needs to expedite the rebuilding process, especially since a new harbor design is already in the works.
“I'm hoping we don't have to reinvent the wheel on any of these documents or permitting,” LaMalfa said. “Since it's an emergency, it's not like getting any other permit.”
He said the hope is to have a functioning harbor by fall, but that there are no guarantees.
“It's never simple when we have sometimes 17 different agencies (involved),” LaMalfa said. “It just depends how we can get everybody lined up.”
Young said the California Coastal Commission has offered to help by issuing emergency building permits. However, he said the process is still going to take some time.
“It won't happen overnight,” Young said. “This is a complex project.”
Fisherman and boat owners voiced their concerns Monday night about being able to afford fishing licenses, boat fees and other assessments since Friday's disaster left many of them without businesses.
Alexia Retallack, a spokesperson for Fish and Game, said such concerns should be written down and given to Fish and Game officials so they can forward them through the chain of command and to the proper officials.
“Writing helps. It has a significant impact,” Retallack said. “I will make sure multiple people will get your requests.”
Feelings of frustration and helplessness ran high during the town hall meeting and numerous people spoke about their difficulties with the Coast Guard. The agency said it's restricting access to boats in the quarantined area of the harbor, where a petroleum sheen is visible, in order to keep residents safe.
Many boat owners are anxious to inspect their vessels, get them out of the harbor and help clean up. Boat owners like Richard Hagel said it's discouraging to be kicked out of the harbor and be told that volunteers can't be utilized.
“You feel like a criminal when you come down here,” Hagel said Monday. “We're people of action. Explain to me why we can't help?”
Boat owner Andrew Griffin said he wants to be allowed to help and that some boaters have been trained to deal with hazardous materials.
“It's not like we're all idiots here that don't know what we're doing,” Griffin said.
According to Coast Guard officials, federal law prohibits the use of volunteers in situations involving hazardous materials.