Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS)

Periodic dredging is necessary for maintaining safe navigation in the Humboldt Bay area, and an environmentally appropriate disposal site for the dredged sediment is crucial to the area’s maritime economy. The Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS), approximately 3 nautical miles offshore of Humboldt Bay, was designated by EPA in 1995 for this purpose. EPA periodically monitors HOODS to ensure that unexpected or significant negative effects are not occurring from past or continued use of the disposal site. That monitoring showed that while there have been no significant adverse effects from disposal, the site was reaching full capacity and needed to be expanded so that dredging could continue to provide for safe navigation in Humboldt Bay.

EPA therefore expanded the HOODS boundary by 1 nautical mile to the west and 1 nautical mile to the north, as shown in the figure. The new HOODS boundaries became official on March 19, 2021. Supporting documents for this action are available via the links in the information box to the right.

• Final Environmental Assessment: Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) (pdf) (7.24 MB, October 19, 2020)
  The Final EA includes a new Appendix E (public comments on the Draft EA, and EPA’s responses) as well as a new Appendix F (California Coastal Commission staff report and unanimous Commission approval).
• Appendix A: Synthesis Report for 2008 and 2014 HOODS Monitoring (pdf) (1.15 MB, June 27, 2019)
  Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) 2008 and 2014 Monitoring Synthesis Report. Proposal to Expand EPA’s Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) and Identify a Beneficial Nearshore Sand Placement Site (NSPS).
• Appendix B: Public Scoping Meetings, and Resource Agency and Tribal Consultations - Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) (pdf) (20.75 MB, July 2019 - April 2020)
  This Appendix includes information about public and agency scoping meetings and agency and Tribal consultations regarding the proposed expansion of HOODS, including: Scoping meeting comments; Informal ESA consultation with USFWS; Informal ESA, MMPA, and EFH consultations with NMFS; Coordination with potentially affected tribes.
• Appendix C: 2006 Site Management and Monitoring Plan (Expired) (pdf) (2.31 MB, January 2006)
  This Site Management and Monitoring Plan (SMMP) provided management and monitoring strategies for disposal in HOODS through the end of 2020. It was replaced by the Updated (2021) SMMP as of January 1, 2021.
• Appendix D: Updated (2021) Site Management and Monitoring Plan (SMMP) - Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) (pdf) (1.81 MB, October 19, 2020)
  This Updated Site Management and Monitoring Plan (SMMP) for the expanded Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) is effective as of January 1, 2021.
• Appendix E: Response to Comments On the Draft EA and Proposed Rule (pdf) (378.97 KB, October 19, 2020)
  This appendix includes all comments received, with EPA’s responses to each, on the Proposed Rule and draft Environmental Assessment to expand the Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS).
• Appendix F: California Coastal Commission Staff Report (pdf) (786.59 KB, October 19, 2020)
  This appendix includes the Coastal Commission staff report, and the Coastal Commission’s concurrence, with EPA’s determination that expansion of HOODS is consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the California Coastal Act.
• HOODS Consistency Determination (CD) for Expansion of HOODS (pdf) (643.01 KB, July-August 2020)
  EPA’s determination that the proposed expansion of HOODS is consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the California Coastal Act. This CD is the subject of the Coastal Commission documents reproduced in Appendix F of the Final EA.
• HOODS Expansion Presentation: Public Scoping Meetings (pdf) (4.97 MB, August 5, 2019)
  Presentation from the August 5, 2019 public scoping meetings for the proposed expansion of the Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS).
• HOODS Expansion Presentation: Information Workshop for the California Coastal Commission (pdf) (2.13 MB, August 8, 2019)
  Presentation for the information workshop relating to the proposed expansion of the Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS).
• Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) Interactive Map (pdf) (19.29 MB, 2014)
  Map of seafloor images in and near the EPA-designated Humboldt Open Ocean Disposal Site (HOODS) taken in August, 2014. Background colors inside the blue square indicate water depth, and the smaller red square shows the current boundary of HOODS. To see both downward-looking and cross-sectional views of the seafloor at any monitoring station, hover your cursor over the red dots. If you are unable to view the images in your browser, save a copy to your desktop and view with Acrobat Reader.
• (1995) Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) (pdf) (50.11 MB, July 1995)
  Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site off Humboldt Bay, California.
• (1995) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PDF) (167 pp, 9 MB, March 1995)/small>
  Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site Off Humboldt Bay, California.