The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District is inviting companies to participate in the Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal project in California. This project aims to support the emerging floating wind industry along the US west coast and will be constructed in Humboldt Bay.
The district's engagement process, known as the Solicitation of Interest (SoI), will determine the type and level of interest from potential participants. Based on responses, the district may further engage with interested parties.
On January 23, 2024, the United States Department of Transportation announced that the district will receive $426.7 million through the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects (INFRA) grant programme for the terminal's construction and maintenance. The INFRA funding requires the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District to provide matching funds, which may come from the state of California, private equity, partner developers, or other sources.
The project proposes the redevelopment of underutilized industrial lands surrounding Humboldt Bay and improvements to in-bay and upland infrastructure. Anticipated benefits include economic growth through direct and indirect job creation, improved standard of living, and an increased tax base. Additionally, the project will clean up contamination, debris, and derelict buildings from sites abandoned after the decline of the wood product industry, including former pulp mills, sawmills, and wood product export facilities.
The terminal will also facilitate renewable energy development, both directly onsite through solar energy generation and indirectly by supporting offshore wind energy generation. This redevelopment effort aims to bring substantial benefits to the local community, the state of California, and the nation as a whole.
