>> COMING UP NEXT ON HEADLINE HUMBOLDT, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEEDS YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND SUPPORT TO CONTINUE IN ITS MISSION TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR COLLECTIVE HISTORY.

>> GNAT TELEAND ROSS GORDON HAVE WAGED A CAMPAIGN THIS ELECTION SEASON TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF ITS MEMBERS AND THE GREATER COMMUNITY BY DEFEATING MEASURE A.

THE VOTERS WILL SOON GET THEIR CHANCE TO DECIDE, COMING UP NOW ON HEADLINE HUMBOLDT.

[MUSIC] >> HUMBOLDT HILL, THIS IS HEADLINE HUMBOLDT, I'M JAMES FAULK.

IT'S BECOME ALMOST A CLICH É TO SAY QUIT COMPLAINING AND VOTE.

ON TUESDAY, WE GO TO THE POLLS FOR THE MARCH 2024 PRIMARY ELECTION.

FOR MANY PEOPLE, THE PARADE OF NAMES AND CATEGORIES, PARTY AFFILIATIONS AND ENDORSEMENTS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE REALITY OF THEIR LIVES.

THEY GET UP IN THE MORNING FOCUSED ON THEIR OWN CIRCUMSTANCES AND PROBLEMS AND THEN THEY WORK HARD THROUGHOUT THE DAY WHILE DOING THEIR BEST TO BE GOOD, LOVING PEOPLE TO THOSE AROUND THEM.

THIS IS IN FACT HOW YOU BECOME A DECENT PERSON.

BUT PART OF BEING A GOOD PERSON IN THIS DAY AND AGE INVOLVES THINKING NOT JUST OF YOURSELF AND YOUR OWN NEEDS, HOWEVER IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE ALL A PART OF A LARGER GROUP THAT NEEDS THE ACCUMULATED WISDOM OF EVERY SINGLE VOTER IN ORDER TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS.

FOR THOSE INCLINED TO NOT VOTE, I ASK YOU, PLEASE CONSIDER ALL THE MOMENTS IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU'VE EXPERIENCED FRUSTRATION IN LIFE AND BUSINESS.

THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SEE THOSE PROBLEMS ADDRESSED.

IF YOU DON'T VOTE, THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD WHO WILL CONSIDER THE FACTS FROM YOUR PARTICULAR PERSPECTIVE AND BRING THAT KNOWLEDGE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE POWERFUL.

YOU VOTE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF YOURSELF, OF YOUR FAMILY, OF YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR STATE, AND YOUR NATION.

IF YOU HOLD BACK YOUR VOTE OUT OF SOME SENSE OF FRUSTRATION OR EVEN REVENGE, NO THAT IT JUST MEANS THAT YOUR VOICE, YOUR POINT OF VIEW, IS ALL THAT WILL BE IGNORED AS A RESULT.

THE GOVERNMENT AS ALWAYS WILL GO ON.

BUT WITHOUT YOUR VOTE AND WITHOUT MILLIONS OF OTHER VOTES, THAT GOVERNMENT BECOMES MORE AND MORE DIVORCED FROM THE NEEDS AND PERSPECTIVE OF ITS CONSTITUENTS.

IT THEREFORE CEASES TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND CAN QUITE QUICKLY BECOME ONE.

WE'LL SIT DOWN WITH NATALYNNE DELAPP AND ROSS GORDON.

IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOME SUPPORTERS OF MEASURE A HAVE FELT THREATENED AND HARASSED BY SOME INITIATIVE OPPONENTS.

I WANT TO STATE MY RESOUNDING DISGUST FOR ANY SUCH BEHAVIOR AND POINT OUT THAT IT HAS NO PLACE IN THIS COUNTY, STATE, AND COUNTRY.

NOW, THE NEWS.

WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, AND EVEN HOW WE THINK IS ALL REFLECTED IN THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES AND IN THE TRACES WE LEAVE BEHIND.

THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS WORKED FOR MANY YEARS TO PRESERVE THE NOTES, RECORDS, PHOTOS, AND OTHER EPHEMERA FROM AGES PAST ALLOWING SCHOLARS AND HISTORIANS TODAY THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET AN INTIMATE AND UNVARNISHED LOOK AT THE LIVES WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE.

IT'S A SACRED DUTY AND THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO DO IT.

>> WE STARTED OUT IN 1947 WITH 117 MEMBERS.

THEY WERE BACK IN THOSE DAYS PAYING 1 DOLLAR APIECE AND MOSTLY THAT DOLLAR COVERED THE PRINTING OF OUR NEWSLETTER.

THAT NEWSLETTER HAS NOW MORPHED INTO OUR QUARTERLY JOURNAL AND WE ARE HOPING TO GET ANOTHER 500 MEMBERS.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAD THE LARGEST MEMBERSHIP OF ANY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN THE STATE, INCLUDING THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

BUT TIMES HAVE BEEN TOUGH IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS, WE'VE LOST A LOT THROUGH ATTRITION.

PEOPLE GET OLDER AND THE FOLKS WHO CARE ABOUT HISTORY ARE QUITE OFTEN IN THAT OLDER DEMOGRAPHIC AND WHEN THEY GO AWAY, IF THE FAMILY ISN'T ALSO LED TO BE AS HISTORICALLY MINDED, THEN WE LOSE MEMBERSHIP.

AND SO NOW WE'RE REALLY SCRAMBLING TO TRY TO GET ANOTHER 500, TO TRY TO GIVE US A LITTLE MORE REVENUE TO KEEP GOING.

>> IN THE MEANTIME, PEOPLE CAN VISIT .humboldthistory.org TO LOOK AROUND AND CONSIDER DIFFERENT MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS.

IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO UNDERSTANDING OUR OWN WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

>> SO I'M A LOCAL, AND SO I GREW UP HERE.

I GREW UP IN RIO DEL ORO AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD A HISTORY.

WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT WE IN FACT DID, I WAS FIRST FIRED UP TO STUDY HISTORY WHEN I FOUND A PIECE OF COMPANY MONEY FROM PACIFIC LUMBER COMPANY AT SCOTIA AND IT MADE ME START DIGGING AND THE MORE I DUG, THE MORE I FOUND AND THE MORE I FOUND, THE MORE EXCITED I BECAME ABOUT THIS AMAZING PLACE WE LIVE IN.

I DIDN'T THINK WE HAD A HISTORY, BUT WE HAVE A HISTORY THAT TOUCHES A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR WORLD.

>> BEFORE WE GET TO THE INTERVIEW, I WANT TO READ THIS.

ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS BEHIND MEASURE A: THE PETITION TO PLACE MEASURE A ON THE BALLOT WAS SIGNED BY 7,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY AND THE IMPACT LARGE CANNABIS GROWS TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE MEASURE WOULD LITTLE THE NUMBER OF CULTIVATION PERMITS TO 1,000 INSTEAD OF 3500 AND LIMIT THE SIZE OF NEW GROWS TO 10,000 SQUARE FEET INSTEAD OF EIGHT ACRES.

MEASURE A WILL PREVENT 2500 MORE GROWS FROM TAKING OVER THE WATERSHEDS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ADD ONE MONTH TO FORBEARANCE AND ENSURE NEW WELLS DON'T IMPACT STREAMS OR OTHER WELLS, LIMIT CULTIVATION PERMITS TO ONE PER PERSON AND PHASE OUT GENERATORS AND REQUIRE A LICENSED ENGINEER TO VERIFY THAT A NEW ROAD MEETS CATEGORY 4 STANDARDS BUT ONLY FOR NEW OR EXPANDED GROWS THAT ALREADY HAVE A CATEGORY 4 ROAD REQUIREMENT.

IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW NEIGHBORS TO HAVE SOME INPUT AND REQUIRE YEARLY IN-PERSON INSPECTIONS NOT FROM A SATELLITE WITHIN 24 HOURS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUOTE, MARK, AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT YOU CAN VISIT MY PREVIOUS INTERVIEW WITH MARK AND BETTY AND THE LINK WOULD BE IN OUR DESCRIPTION.

SO AS I SAID, I SPOKE WITH NATALYNNE DELAPP AND ROSS GORDON AND THE HARD-FOUGHT CAMPAIGN THAT IS JUST NOW COMING TO AN END.

WE'RE JOINED BY NATALYNNE DELAPP AND ROSS GORDON HERE WITH US THIS FRIDAY ON THE EVE BEFORE THE TUESDAY ELECTION.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF HECTIC AND BUSY SCHEDULES AS YOU GUYS ARE PREPARING FOR THE UPCOMING VOTE.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEASURE A, WHICH IS AN INITIATIVE THAT WAS PROPOSED BY A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY WHO HAD HAD ISSUES IN THEIR PREVIOUS BUREAUCRATIC WRANGLING WITH A PARTICULAR GROW AND THAT LED TO A GLOBAL SUGGESTION AS TO HOW THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY REGULATIONS COULD BE AMENDED AND WAYS THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE BETTER.

BUT YOU GUYS OBVIOUSLY DISAGREE.

AND SO WE'RE HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS FEEL GOING INTO THE ELECTION AND THEN SURROUNDING ISSUES REGARDING THE MEASURE AND THE INDUSTRY.

SO NATALYNNE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WHERE THINGS HAVE GONE WITH THE PROPOSAL OF MEASURE A AND HOW YOUR COMMUNITY HAS REACTED AND WHERE THINGS HAVE ENDED UP NOW THAT WE'RE A COUPLE DAYS AWAY FROM THE VOTE, YEA OR NAY OR MEASURE A.

>> WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE COALITION THAT'S BEEN BUILT OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY AN UNPRECEDENTED COALITION OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY, REPUBLICAN PARTY, GREENS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION, TRIBAL ENDORSEMENTS, UNION ENDORSEMENTS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, AND TO HAVE THAT ABSOLUTELY AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, UNPRECEDENTED COALITION COMING AND RECOGNIZING THAT MEASURE A IS SIMPLY BAD POLICY FOR HUMBOLDT COUNTY AND THAT IT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT LEGAL CANNABIS FARMS HAS BEEN REALLY HEARTENING ON BEHALF OF THE LEGAL INDUSTRY.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO IN AND COUNT THE BALLOTS ON TUESDAY, WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT VOTERS RECOGNIZE WHAT IT IS THAT'S AT STAKE AND CAST "NO" VOTES BY MARCH 5.

>> IT'S INTERESTING, THE GROUP THAT YOU JUST LISTED, THEY ARE COMING FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES AT THIS.

THEY'RE NOT ALL MONOLITHIC, BECAUSE THEY'RE DEPENDENT ON THE TAX REVENUE, THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO WITNESS IT AND LIVE WITH IT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THERE IS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF SUPPORT FROM YOUR GUYS' POSITION THAT IS SEEMINGLY PRETTY WIDE RANGING.

AND THAT'S STRIKING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.

>> YEAH, WHICH INCLUDES I ALSO MENTIONED THE CITY OF FORTUNA ON MONDAY SAID NO WAY MEASURE A, ALONG WITH RIO DEL AND THE CITIES OF ARCADIA.

THOSE ARE JURISDICTIONS NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY UNINCORPORATED COUNTY AND THEY TOO RECOGNIZE THIS IS BAD POLICY THAT WOULD IMPACT THEM.

>> ROSS, YOU'RE ALSO WITH THE GROWERS ALLIANCE AND YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS SHOW BEFORE, BUT CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT VOTERS COULD EXPECT TO SEE IF MEASURE A PASSES, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THAT MIGHT BE COMING DOWN THE PIKE FOR BOTH THE INDUSTRY AND I GUESS THE LARGER HUMBOLDT COUNTY ECONOMY?

>> SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO START JUST BY SAYING THIS WAS AN INITIATIVE THAT SORT OF IN ITS INCEPTION DURING SIGNATURE GATHERING, AS IT WAS EXPLAINED TO VOTERS, WAS POSITIONED AS IF IT WAS ABOUT PREVENTING INDUSTRIAL-SCALE CANNABIS IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY, AND I THINK WHAT BECOMES CLEAR IF YOU READ THE INITIATIVE IS THAT IT'S A 38-PAGE LONG INITIATIVE AND IT INCLUDES VERY, VERY DETAILED AMENDMENTS TO HUMBOLDT COUNTY'S GENERAL PLAN WITH RESPECT TO CANNABIS CULTIVATION AND IT'S WRITTEN TO REALLY OVERHAUL OUR CANNABIS REGULATIONS AS THEY APPLY TO FARMERS OF ALL SIZES WITHIN THE COUNTY.

AND THIS IS REALLY THE REASON YOU'VE SEEN ABSOLUTELY UNIVERSAL OPPOSITION FROM EVERY SINGLE SMALL FARMER I KNOW OF IN THE COUNTY TO THIS MEASURE BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ABOUT AFFECTING THEIR OPERATIONS AS SMALL FARMERS IN WAYS THAT WOULD MAKE IN THE ANALYSIS OF OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE LEGAL MARKET NOT VIABLE WITHIN HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS THAT THE INITIATIVE DOES THAT IS BECAUSE OF HOW IT TALKS ABOUT EXPANSION.

SO THE PROPONENTS OF THE INITIATIVE HAVE BEEN PRETTY CLEAR THAT THEY WANT TO PREVENT THE EXPANSION OF CANNABIS OPERATIONS AND THE INITIATIVE DOES PREVENT ANY EXISTING FARM FROM GETTING BIGGER BECAUSE IT CAPS THE ACREAGE OF CANNABIS WITHIN THE COUNTY BELOW CURRENT LEVEL.

ITS STOPS NEW FARMS FROM ENTERING THE MARKET OF ANY SIZE BECAUSE IT CAPS THE NUMBER OF PERMITS WITHIN THE COUNTY BELOW CURRENT LEVELS.

BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT, THE WAY THE INITIATIVE DEFINES EXPANSION, IT SAYS THAT EXPANSION INCLUDES ANYTHING THAT INCREASES A FARM'S WATER USAGE, ENERGY USAGE, OR THE NUMBER OR SIZE OF ANY STRUCTURES USED IN CONNECTION WITH CULTIVATION.

SO THAT -- >> THEY CAN'T EVEN IMPROVE EXISTING STUFF?

>> AND IF YOU TAKE ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, BASICALLY THE OUTCOME IS THE EFFECT OF THE INITIATIVE IS TO PROHIBIT FARMERS FROM MAKING ANY CHANGES ON THEIR FARM.

A DRYING SHED IS A NEW STRUCTURE.

WATER STORAGE IS A NEW STRUCTURE.

SOLAR IS A NEW STRUCTURE.

A SHED IS A NEW STRUCTURE.

SO WHAT I THINK SMALL FARMERS SEE IS WHAT THIS INITIATIVE DOES IS IT FREEZES THEIR OPERATIONS IN PLACE FOREVER FROM DOING ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT OR A WAY TO PRODUCE CRAFT CANNABIS, WHILE THE REST OF THE STATE WITH VERY, VERY LARGE INDUSTRIAL-SCALE OPERATIONS IN SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

SO REALLY THE WINNERS, IF THIS INITIATIVE PASSES, ARE GOING TO BE THOSE VERY LARGE-SCALE OPERATIONS IN OTHER COUNTIES WHO DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE INCREDIBLY DETAILED, PUNITIVE REGULATIONS.

AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE UNREGULATED CULTIVATION WITHIN THE COUNTY.

IF YOU MAKE THE LEGAL MARKET NOT VIABLE WITHIN THE COUNTY, YOU'RE GOING TO END UP WITH PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO BE PART OF THE REGULATED MARKET, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT DOESN'T HAVE POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES HERE.

>> TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MISSED OPPORTUNITY IF IT PASSES.

RIGHTRIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE --E THE LOOK AT IT AS SORT OF AN EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION, THE CYCLES OF BUSINESS, WE'RE IN A STATE OF CONTRACTION WITH THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF THE MARKET BEING FLOODED AND ISSUES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THIS SHOW SEVERAL TIMES.

BUT IF THINGS WERE TO PICK BACK UP AGAIN WITH THE EXISTING REGULATIONS, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH, AND WE COULD AS A COUNTY SEE SOME OF THAT IN TERMS OF REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND ALSO JUST THE SPENDING OF REVENUE THAT GETS GENERATED HERE.

BUT IF OUR CANNABIS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HAM STRUNG BY REGULATIONS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, WE'RE LESS LIKELY TO SEE THAT KIND OF FUTURE GROWTH, CORRECT?

>> YES.

SO I THINK IT'S WORTH SAYING, CANNABIS FARMERS HAVE PAID OVER $50 MILLION IN TAXES TO THE COUNTY SINCE CANNABIS WAS LEGALIZED.

THE ESTIMATES I'VE SEEN ARE PROBABLY CANNABIS BRINGS SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AT LEAST ANNUALLY INTO THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN OUR CITIES.

IT'S NOT JUST FARMERS AND PLACES LIKE EUREKA.

MANY HUNDREDS OF JOBS ARE TIDE TO DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES AND RETAIL IN THOSE CITIES.

SO WE'VE SEEN A REAL DECLINE OBVIOUSLY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY'S FORTUNES HERE, BUT IT'S STILL A TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR OUR COUNTY AND I THINK REALLY THE QUESTION, IT'S NOT SHOULD WE HAVE REGULATION OR NOT.

WE'VE GOT 143 PAGES OF COUNTY ORDINANCES.

DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE IS INVOLVED IN EVERY PERMIT, DEPARTMENT OF CANNABIS, WATER BOD, DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION, THE AMOUNT OF REGULATION IS INCREDIBLE CURRENTLY.

SO I DON'T THINK THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE HAVE REGULATION.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE ENABLE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING TO FOLLOW THESE REGULATIONS TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE A VIABLE BUSINESS IN THE FACE OF REALLY AN ONSLAUGHT OF CORPORATE CANNABIS COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.

IF MEASURE A PASSES, THEN I THINK ALL OF THE HOPES WE HAVE FOR SEEING A SMALL-SCALE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY ARE ESSENTIALLY GOING TO BE OUT THE WINDOW.

>> NATALYNNE, YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN THIS CASE TO COURT A LITTLE BIT AND SAID THEY MISREPRESENTED WHAT THE INITIATIVE WOULD DO WHEN THEY WERE GATHERING SIGNATURES.

YOU MENTIONED THERE'S THESE CORPORATE GROWS TAKING PLACE OUTSIDE OF THE AREA THAT HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES, LOTS OF LAND, BIG PRODUCTIONS THAT ARE OUTPERFORMING AND DWARFING TRADITIONAL FAMILY-OWNED GROWERS.

DO YOU THINK THAT FACT PLAYED INTO WHY THEY WERE ABLE TO GET SO MANY SIGNATURES INITIALLY?

WAS THERE PERHAPS A SENTIMENT AMONG PEOPLE, IF PEOPLE THINKING, WELL, IF WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF BIG CORPORATE GROWS, I'M THINKING DOWN SOUTH, YOU KNOW, THE TOBACCO FARM-LIKE CANNABIS GROWS, BUT REALLY THIS INITIATIVE WAS TARGETED AT SOMETHING MUCH CLOSER TO HOME?

>> I MEAN, SPEAKING TO PEOPLE WHO FELT THAT THEY WERE MISREPRESENTED OR THAT THEY WERE NOT TOLD THE TRUTH DURING SIGNATURE GATHERING, WHAT I HEARD, IT WAS LESS ABOUT CORPORATE CANNABIS AND MORE ABOUT PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING SMALL FARMERS.

PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE SUPPORTING HUMBOLDT'S SMALL FARMERS.

AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A COMMON VALUE THAT OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE CULTURAL FABRIC THAT CANNABIS AND CANNABIS OR MARIJUANA BRINGS TO HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

WE UNDERSTAND IT IS PART OF OUR IDENTITY.

AND PEOPLE WERE SYMPATHETIC TO THAT NOTION.

AND MORE PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING WHEN THEY WERE SIGNING THOSE PETITIONS.

>> PROTECTING SMALL FARMERS.

>> AND THAT WAS SMALL FARMERS SIGNING THAT AS WELL.

NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS HAPPENING, YOU KNOW.

AND THEY OFFERED 15 SECONDS TO SIGN SOMETHING AS THEY'RE WALKING INTO THE CO-OP OR AT THE FARMERS MARKET OR THE COUNTY FAIR.

>> IT'S INTERESTING, ROSS, YOU WERE SAYING THIS ISN'T A QUESTION BETWEEN NO REGULATION OR GARGANTUAN LEVIATHAN REGULATION BUT RATHER IT'S THE REGULATION THAT WAS DEVELOPED OVER A LONG PROCESS AND MULTIPLE ITERATIONS THAT HAD BUY-IN AND ENGAGEMENT FROM EVERYONE VERSUS REGULATIONS THAT WERE KIND OF THOUGHT UP IN RESPONSE TO SOME PERSON'S PARTICULAR ISSUES WITH A PARTICULAR PROJECT.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS LIKE SO THAT OUR VIEWERS CAN GET A SENSE OF HOW INVOLVED THAT WAS AND HOW MUCH INVESTMENT THEY HAD FROM DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS QUESTION?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO IN 2016 AND AGAIN IN 2018, THERE WERE TWO CANNABIS LAND USE ORDINANCES PASSED WITHIN HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

THERE WERE MANY DOZENS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, HUNDREDS, PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF HOURS SPENT.

>> ALL OF WHICH HAD PEOPLE THERE, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, GOING THERE, SPENDING THEIR TIME, MISSING DINNER, BUT COMING TO INVEST THEMSELVES.

>> THEY WERE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO DO, WHICH IS TO TRANSITION THE UNREGULATED MARKET WE HAD HERE IN HUMBOLDT WITH AN ESTIMATED 15,000 UNREGULATED CULTIVATION SITES WITHIN THE COUNTY WHERE THERE'S A VARIETY OF PRACTICES.

THERE'S PEOPLE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

TRYING THE BEST JUST TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR LIVELY HOODS AND BE SUSTAINABLE AND, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE PEOPLE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING, CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AND DAMAGE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THE PURPOSE OF THOSE PUBLIC MEETINGS WHICH INCLUDED EXTENSIVE EXTENDED INPUT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, FROM TRIBES, FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, FROM LOCAL REGULATORS AND STATE REGULATORS, UWHICH IS WHICH IS IMPORTANT, AND, OF COURSE, FROM FARMERS.

AND TRYING TO FIND WHAT IS THE RIGHT WAY THAT WE CAN BUILD A SYSTEM THAT IS GOING TO BE VIABLE FOR SMALL FARMERS TO ENTER INTO AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT ALSO IS GOING TO BE PROTECTIVE OF OUR PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENT AND THE COUNTY MORE BROADLY.

AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE THINKS THAT THE OUTCOME OF THAT PROCESS WAS PERFECT.

I THINK EVERYONE REALIZES ACTUALLY THAT THAT PROCESS HAS TO BE ITERATIVE.

WE HAVE TO DO IT AND THEN ASSESS HOW IT WENT AND THEN RECONSIDER OVER TIME, LIKE, HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT.

AND THERE'S A REALLY GOOD ARTICLE BY NOAH LEVY, THE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THAT PROCESS AS CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ONE THING HE SAYS IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS BEEN CONTINUING TO THINK OF WAYS TO IMPROVE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE ORDINANCE CONTINUES TO BE RESPONSIVE.

AND THAT ONE OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT MEASURE A IS THAT IT FREEZES OUR ORDINANCE IN PLACE PERMANENTLY.

BECAUSE IT'S A VOTER INITIATIVE, YOU CAN'T MAKE ANY CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE IF IT'S GOING TO BE IN CONFLICT WITH MEASURE A AND MEASURE A AGAIN IS 38 PAGES OF INCREDIBLY DETAILED MATERIAL.

AND SO YOU'RE BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN OUR ABILITY FOR ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PERMANENTLY AND THAT ABILITY TO BRING ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND TRIBES AND SMALL FARMERS TO THE TABLE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IN A CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN IF ALL OF IT RUNS UP AGAINST AN INITIATIVE WHICH CAN'T BE CHANGED.

>> INTERESTING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED BEFORE AND THAT IS ACTUALLY IN THIS ARTICLE THAT IS A GREAT ARTICLE, HUMBOLDT COUNTY GROWERS SAY MEASURE A COULD SINK THEM.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT IN THE ARTICLE AND ALSO HAS COME OUT IN DIFFERENT THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST IS THAT IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR A LOT OF FOLKS TO COME OUT OF THE BLACK MARKET IN ORDER TO GET LEGALIZED AND GET PERMITTED AND GO THROUGH THE LONG PROCESS THAT THAT TOOK.

A LOT OF TIMES WHICH WAS CHANGING UNDER THEIR FEET AS THEY WERE DOING SO.

AND THEY MADE THAT CHANGE THINKING THAT THEY WERE INVESTING IN THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

IF MEASURE A PASSES, IS THERE SOME SENSE THAT THEY MIGHT BE ENTICED TO SORT OF TURN BACK INTO A BLACK MARKET?

OR DO YOU THINK THAT THAT RISK IS SOMETHING OF THE PAST?

THE REASON WHY I ASK THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE SEEM TO BE UPSET ABOUT IS THE WAY THINGS WERE, SAY, TEN YEARS AGO IN HULL COUNTY DURING THE SO-CALLED GREEN RUSH.

AND IF PEOPLE GO BACK TO A BLACK MARKET AND START MAKING THE PROFITS THAT THEY WERE MAKING BACK THEN, IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE NOW, I COULD SEE A RETURN TO THAT.

BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK THAT THE LEGAL FARMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LEGAL, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE -- AS ROSS MENTIONED, THEY ARE HIGHLY REGULATED.

THE COUNTY, THE STATE, KNOWS WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY ARE, THEY ARE LIVE-SCANNED.

THEY ARE UNDER SURVEILLANCE, CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE BY THE COUNTY, EYES IN THE SKY WATCHING.

IT IS, IT'S TRUE!

SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE, LIKE, THESE FARMS ARE NOT BEING INSPECTED, THAT IS NOT TRUE.

THERE ARE ALMOST DAILY SATELLITE PHOTOS TO MAKE SURE THESE FARMS ARE STAYING THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO STAY.

>> THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW, I THINK.

>> SO OUR EXISTING LEGAL FARMERS ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE THAT TRANSITION BACK TO THE UNREGULATED MARKET.

I THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT THEY SIMPLY GIVE UP.

AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE STORY.

THEY ARE THE LEGACY.

THIS IS WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF HUMBOLDT'S CANNABIS INDUSTRY.

IT IS WHAT MAKES US SEPARATE AND UNIQUE FROM PLACES LIKE SANTA BARBARA IS OUR HISTORY.

IT IS THE CONNECTION TO THE LAND.

AND IF OUR EXISTING LEGAL FARMS GO AND JUST SAY I'M DONE, YOU KNOW, I'LL I'M DONE WITH THIS, F THEY'RE EVEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SELL THEIR LAND, THEY MAY, BUT THEN THAT INVITES NEW PEOPLE TO COME IN.

AND MAYBE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENT THAT OUR CURRENT FARMERS HAVE.

AND, I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY THE CONCERN.

IF THE LEGAL FARMERS EXIT, THEN THERE'S THIS VACUUM THAT OPENS UP THAT REALLY INVITES THE NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES TO COME BACK.

AND THERE'S NOT THE INSPECTORS, ANY OF THE STUFF THAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING THAT ARE KEEPING OUR HILLS SAFE AND QUIET.

THAT WILL NOT BE THERE ANYMORE.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE LEGAL FARMS THERE AND INSPECTORS THERE, THAT REINVITES THIS OTHER OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN.

>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT NOTION THOUGH, WHAT WAS GOING ON TEN YEARS AGO THAT WAS SO SCARY FOR SOME PEOPLE?

AND HOW DID WE GET BEYOND THAT?

WAS IT THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE JUST DESCRIBED, THIS ITERATIVE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT WOULD SORT OF HELP PEOPLE FIGURE OUT HOW TO STAY WITHIN THE LINES, DO YOU THINK?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

PROPOSITION 215, WHICH WAS THE COMPASSIONATE USE ACT, PROVIDED MEDICAL COMPASSIONATE USE AND CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS.

WHAT IT DID NOT CREATE WAS A REGULATORY STRUCTURE.

AND WE SAW THE IMPACTS OF 20 YEARS OF UNREGULATED CANNABIS IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY AND IN THE EMERALD TRIANGLE.

AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, PUBLIC, LAW ENFORCEMENT, EVERYBODY WAS COMING TO THE TABLE IN THE 2010, 12, 13, 14, SHOWING THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, AND OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES HEARD AND THERE WAS FINALLY THE IMPETUS ON ENOUGH OF A NATIONAL LEVEL.

COLORADO HAD ALREADY LEGALIZED, WASHINGTON HAD ALREADY LEGALIZED.

AND SO THE STATE CREATED THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA REGULATION SAFETY ACT SIGNED BY GOVERNOR BROWN IN LATE 2015 AND THAT IS WHAT THEN GAVE THE TOOLS TO HUMBOLDT COUNTY TO CREATE A REGULATORY STRUCTURE.

AND SO FOR THE LAST EIGHT ALMOST NINE YEARS NOW, WE HAVE BEEN MOVING AND HAVE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED FROM THIS UNREGULATED INDUSTRY TO THIS REGULATED INDUSTRY.

AND AS ROSS MENTIONED, THERE WERE 15,000 GROW SITES.

NOW THERE'S ABOUT 1,000 PERMITS AND WE THINK ABOUT 775 LEGAL FARMS.

THEIR OVERALL FOOTPRINT IS 0.52 SQUARE MILES AND 335 ACRES.

SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THIS -- I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT CONSOLIDATION -- >> ATTRITION.

>> ATTRITION, IT SHRUNK SHRUNK.

WE HAVE 775 FARMERS, REAL PEOPLE, FAMILIES, DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO BE CONTRIBUTING LEGAL LEGITIMATE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND MEASURE A PUTS THEM AT RISK.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT HUMBOLDT COUNTY IS THAT I GREW UP HERE AND THERE WAS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND FOR A LOT OF MY FRIENDS, CANNABIS OFFERED A WAY FOR THEM TO HAVE A LIFE IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ANY OTHER WAY AND A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF SMALL FAMILY FARMS.

NOT WHAT WE WERE CONSISTENTLY TOLD WERE THESE MEGA GROWS OUT IN THE WOODS, I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS A PROBLEM, BUT EVEN THEN, IT WAS A LIFELINE FOR HUMBOLDT COUNTY'S ECONOMY.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IF IT PASSES, WHAT'S NEXT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GROWING?

I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT THE TIMELINE WOULD BE?

WOULD PEOPLE JUST FOLD UP?

HOW DOES THAT LOOK IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, RIGHT OUT OF THE BAT?

ROSS, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT ONE?

>> YEAH, SO I THINK MEASURE A WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY, LIKE, MAKE YOU GET OUT OF THE LEGAL INDUSTRY IF YOU HAVE A PERMITTED FARM.

I THINK WHAT IT DOES DO IS IT MAKES THE FUNCTIONING OF OUR CANNABIS ORDINANCES NOT VIABLE IN THE CONTEXT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STATE.

AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, BASICALLY WHAT IT DOES IS SAY YOU CAN NEVER MAKE ANY PERMIT MODIFICATION TO YOUR FARM.

THAT'S THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT.

THAT'S WHAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOUND.

SO COULD A FARMER CONTINUE ON NEXT YEAR AND USE WHATEVER ENTITLEMENTS ARE IN THEIR PERMIT?

SURE.

CAN THEY EVER OVER A PERIOD OF DECADES BUILD A NEW STRUCTURE ON THEIR FARM?

FOR THE MOST PART, NO, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A VIABLE SHORT, MEDIUM, OR LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR HUMBOLDT, SO I THINK WHAT YOU'D SEE, YOU'D SEE A LOT OF DEMORALIZED FARMERS GIVE UP IMMEDIATELY, UNDERSTANDING THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL, AND I THINK OVER THE LONGER TERM, YOU WOULD SEE SOME PRETTY QUICK ACTUALLY ATTRITION AS PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THE THICK THEY PUT SO MUCH INTO, THEIR PERMIT BASICALLY, CAN'T BE MODIFIED, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THEY MOOD TO TO DO TO BE ABLE TO JUST GROW A HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCT AND GET IT TO MARKET.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ASK YOU IS THAT YOU MENTIONED IN THE BROADER SPECTRUM OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN ALL THE VARIOUS COUNTIES IN TERMS OF CANNABIS REGULATION, JUST SO OUR VIEWERS AND VOTERS KNOW, AT WHAT POINT OR WHERE DO WE FIT IN WITH THAT?

ARE OUR RULES LOOSE, OR DOES IT LOOK MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN A LOT OF OTHER COUNTIES?

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING IN TERMS OF THEIR REGULATION?

>> SO AS I MENTIONED, AFTER THE PASSAGE OF MMRSA, HUMBOLDT COUNTY WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST COUNTY TO DEVELOP A LAND USE REGULATORY STRUCTURE.

AND IT WAS THEN ACTUALLY USED BY THE STATE TO DEVELOP SOME OF ITS REGULATORY STRUCTURES.

HUMBOLDT HAS MORE STRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS THAN MANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND HUMBOLDT COUNTY HAS SUCCEEDED AT BRINGING MORE OPERATORS TO FULLY ANNUALLY LICENSED WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION AND PART IS THAT IS BECAUSE THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LOT OF EYES AND ENVIRONMENTAL COLLABORATION, MAYBE WE'LL CALL IT THAT, TO ENSURE THAT HUMBOLDT COUNTY'S LAND USE ORDINANCE WAS CEQA COMPLIANT.

THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT.

THAT IS FOLLOWING THE STATE'S WATER BOARD RULES AND ENDANGERED SPECIES BOARD RULES.

CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS LIKE YOLO COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA JUST DON'T HAVE THAT SCRUTINY.

AND SO THEY DIDN'T DEVELOP A REGULATORY STRUCTURE THAT IT WAS AS THOROUGH AS OURS IS.

AND HUMBOLDT NOT ONLY HAS DONE ONE LAND USE ORDINANCE BUT A SECOND.

AND THERE IS A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT THAT IS REVIEWING ALL POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND THEN SEEKING TO MITIGATE IT.

SO WE'RE ABOVE AND BEYOND.

>> THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR COMING IN AND GOOD LUCK ON TUESDAY.

IT'S BEEN A HARD-FOUGHT CAMPAIGN AND I HOPE YOU GUYS -- I WISH THE BEST FOR YOU GUYS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TO GET BETTER INFORMED, WE HAVE COVERAGE OF THIS AND OTHER ISSUES ON OUR YouTube CHANNEL AND THE CANDIDATE FORUMS ALONG WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

CHECK THOSE OUT PLEASE AND REMEMBER TO VOTE ON THIS UPCOMING TUESDAY.

STAY TUNED.

STAY INFORMED.

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