Environmental Defense Center

SINCE 1977 WE HAVE EMPOWERED COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. OUR PROGRAM AREAS INCLUDE CLIMATE AND ENERGY, OPEN SPACE AND WILDLIFE, CLEAN WATER AND SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL. WE PRIMARILY WORK WITHIN SANTA BARBARA, VENTURA AND SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES. EDC IS ORGANIZED AS A SEC. 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT CORPORATION, AND PROVIDES LEGAL COUNSEL TO OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. WE REMAIN THE ONLY SUCH PUBLIC INTEREST ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FIRM BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO, AND THRIVE ON THE SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM WITHIN OUR REGION AND BEYOND.

SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL (ISSUES REGARDING OCEAN WATER QUALITY, CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY (CINMS) AND PARK, MARINE PROTECTED AREAS, MARINE WILDLIFE PROTECTION)EDC REPRESENTED THE CONSERVATION COMMUNITY ON THE CINMS ADVISORY COUNCIL, CHAIRED THE COUNCIL, AND CHAIRED THE COUNCIL'S CONSERVATION WORKING GROUP; SUPPORTED EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF THE NOMINATION OF THE CHUMASH HERITAGE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY; CO-CHAIRED THE CENTRAL COAST MARINE PROTECTED AREA (MPA) COLLABORATIVE AND HELPED ENSURE ADEQUATE RESEARCH, IMPLEMENTATION, AND ENFORCEMENT OF MPAS; CONTINUED TO WORK ON MEASURES TO PROTECT WHALES FROM SHIP STRIKES, INCLUDING WORKING ON THE COAST GUARD PORT ACCESS ROUTE STUDY, INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION'S CONSIDERATION OF OUR PROPOSAL TO APPROVE SPATIAL MEASURES TO AVOID COLLISIONS, AND SEEKING FUNDING AND OTHER OPTIONS IN SUPPORT OF VESSEL SPEED REDUCTION; PROVIDED COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE CINMS MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE; HELPED COORDINATE A STATE-WIDE COALITION OF NGOS DEDICATED TO ENSURING PROPER PLANNING, SITING, AND DESIGN OF OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS, AND ADVOCATED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS DURING AGENCY REVIEW PROCESSES REGARDING PROPOSED WIND DEVELOPMENT OFFSHORE MORRO BAY; CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND MONITORED PROPOSALS AND PLANS REGARDING OPEN OCEAN AQUACULTURE; RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT NEARSHORE WIND ENERGY PROJECTS THAT WOULD THREATEN MPAS AND AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ECOLOGICAL HOTSPOT.

OPEN SPACE AND WILDLIFE (ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES, HABITATS, WATERSHEDS, AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN SPACE LANDS)EDC CONTINUED TO LITIGATE IN DEFENSE OF THE COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA'S DENIAL OF AN AGRICULTURAL SUBDIVISION PROJECT IN THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY; CONTINUED ADVOCACY BEFORE THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD IN RESPONSE TO PROPOSAL TO DRILL NEW WELLS IN THE SANTA YNEZ RIVER WATERSHED; OPPOSED THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE'S AND OIL INDUSTRY'S PROPOSAL TO STREAMLINE PERMITS FOR OIL AND GAS PROJECTS THAT MAY HARM THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THEIR CRITICAL HABITAT; CONTINUED OUR ADVOCACY TO PROTECT NAPLES ON THE GAVIOTA COAST, INCLUDING FILING AN APPEAL TO CHALLENGE THE DEVELOPER'S ASSERTED COMPLIANCE WITH A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT; LED A COALITION OF GROUPS WHO WORK ON WATERSHED GROUPS AND CONVENED MONTHLY MEETINGS TO SHARE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT REQUESTS FOR PROTECTION EFFORTS; CONVENED LOCAL CREEK CLEAN-UPS AND SURVEYS, AND REPORTED VIOLATIONS TO APPROPRIATE AGENCIES; PURSUED LITIGATION TO RESTORE FLOWS FOR STEELHEAD IN THE SANTA MARIA RIVER; WORKED WITH OUR CLIENT, FARMERS, AND RANCHERS TO OPPOSE A PROPOSAL TO ANNEX IMPORTANT PRIME AG LAND FOR THE PURPOSES OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT; CONTINUED TO REPRESENT OUR CLIENT IN EFFORTS TO PRESERVE MORE MESA; ADVOCATED FOR RESTORATION NECESSITATED BY ILLEGAL DISKING OF BLUFFTOP WETLANDS AND NATIVE GRASSLAND HABITAT; ADVOCATED FOR PROTECTION OF CREEK SETBACK AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE HABITAT THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT; PREPARED REPORTS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROTECT CREEKS FROM WILDFIRES AND TO RESTORE CERTAIN WATERSHEDS.

CLIMATE AND ENERGY (OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT, RENEWABLE ENERGY, CLIMATE CHANGE)EDC REPRESENTED CLIENTS IN A FEDERAL APPELLATE CASE REGARDING OFFSHORE FRACKING AND ACIDIZING; CONVINCED THE COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA TO DENY EXXONMOBIL'S APPLICATION TO RESTART OFFSHORE PLATFORMS AND TRUCK ITS OIL FROM THE COUNTY TO REFINERIES; OPPOSED EFFORTS TO RESUME OR EXPAND ONSHORE OIL DEVELOPMENT BY CHALLENGING A PROPOSED AQUIFER EXEMPTION AND GENERAL CONSERVATION PLAN, AND MONITORING OIL TRUCKING PROPOSALS; CONTINUED TO MONITOR AND RESPOND TO A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A NEW PIPELINE TO REPLACE THE ONE THAT LEAKED IN 2015; PARTICIPATED IN COALITIONS TO SUPPORT APPROPRIATELY PLANNED AND SITED OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS; CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND PREPARED EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING PLATFORM DECOMMISSIONING, AND COMMENTED ON SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW; ADVISED CLIENT REGARDING OIL SPILL RESPONSE AND RESTORATION PLANNING.

CLEAN WATER (ELIMINATE OR REDUCE POLLUTED DISCHARGES, PROTECT OCEAN AND FRESH WATER QUALITY)EDC PURSUED LITIGATION TO PREVENT POLLUTED DISCHARGES FROM MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN IN THE SANTA YNEZ RIVER WATERSHED; WORKED TO ENSURE ADEQUATE REPORTING OF DISCHARGES FROM OIL FIELD OPERATIONS.