March 2009
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper News & Events
News & Events
Venoco Seeks Ballot Initiative
for Paredon Project
City of Goleta General Plan
Marine Protected Areas Maps
Being Formed
La Colina Students Raise Funds
for SBCK
Shaun Tomson to Speak at
Blue Water Ball
Student Art Show
Help Us Greet the Grunion!
Stream Team - March 7th &
8th
Green Gardening Day
Become a Channelkeeper
Member!
Did You Know?
A new video about
Channelkeeper will be
featured in the
Nonprofit Spotlight on
Channel 21
throughout March at
the following times:
Venoco Seeks Ballot Initiative for Paredon
Project
On February 2nd, Venoco submitted a proposed
ballot initiative to the City of Carpinteria that would
have citizens vote on whether to allow its proposed
oil drilling project on Dump Road (the "Paredon
Project") to move forward. This initiative came after
the City's Environmental Review Committee voted
last May to delay issuance of the project's
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) - thereby
postponing the final decision about whether or not to
approve the project - until several questions and
concerns about its numerous environmental impacts
could be addressed. Venoco's proposed ballot
initiative would essentially obviate and circumvent
the City's typical public planning and environmental
review process, thereby denying the public of critical
information about the project and the due process of
public hearings to air their concerns. Fortunately, on February 17th, the City
formally requested that the Santa Barbara County Superior Court determine
whether Venoco's initiative is legal and valid, siting concerns that Venoco's
description of the project in the initiative is vague and misleading, contains false
statements, and violates Carpinteria's General Plan and state law, among others.
The Superior Court will address the complaint on April 7th.
City of Goleta General Plan
On February 25th, Channelkeeper submitted written
comments to the City of Goleta regarding the draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for
the Track 3 General Plan Amendments. The SEIR
asserts that no significant impacts to water quality or
biological resources will occur as a result of the
proposed policy changes, but Channelkeeper is
concerned that many of the proposed amendments will
eliminate or weaken existing protections to water
quality and creek, wetland, and beach ecosystems. Of particular concern is a
proposed amendment that would allow construction to occur adjacent to creeks
during the rainy season; this would significantly increase the risk of contaminated
stormwater entering and harming sensitive aquatic habitats.
Other General Plan amendments being considered would reduce existing creek and
wetland setbacks in some areas by up to 50%. Numerous scientific studies have
demonstrated that wide creek and wetland setbacks produce significant benefits to
water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Changing the existing setback requirements
as proposed would allow development to occur in much closer proximity to creeks
and wetlands, thereby significantly reducing water quality and ecosystem benefits
provided by current City policies. Channelkeeper has urged the City to further
review how these policy changes would affect the environment before approving
the SEIR and voting on the proposed amendments. Public comments are being
accepted until April 6, and a second public hearing will be held on Monday, March
16, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. Please visit http://www.cityofgoleta.org for details, and click
here to read Channelkeeper's comments.
Marine Protected Areas Maps Being Formed
 The 64 individuals appointed to the South Coast
Regional Stakeholder Group (SCRSG) to
Mondays: 2am, 8am, represent the range of interests in Southern
7pm California's coast and ocean have developed their
Tuesdays: 4am, 4pm, first attempts at delineating areas 0-3 miles
offshore of Southern California to be set aside as
7pm protected underwater wilderness areas, or Marine
Protected Areas (MPAs). The SCRSG is meeting
Wednesdays: 2am, 8am,
March 3-4 in Long Beach to complete first drafts
4pm, 7pm of various maps that propose different Southern
California MPA network designs, arrays of
Thursdays: 4am, 4pm, discrete areas of the coastal ocean to be set aside as safe havens for marine life to
7pm recover and flourish. This effort is part of the state process currently underway to
implement the 1999 Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), which requires the creation
Fridays: 2am, 8am, of MPAs along the entire California coastline by 2011 to stem the decline of our
7pm marine life and resources. The various MPA proposals will be modified by the
SCRSG over the next several months based on evaluations and feedback from
Saturdays: 12pm appointed policy experts, scientists, the Department of Fish and Game, and the
public. Finalized proposals will be submitted for final review this fall to the "Blue
Sundays: 8pm Ribbon Task Force" policy panel, and then to the Fish and Game Commission for
final approval in December.

To ensure that the final MPA network is developed out of the best possible
information and public input, the MLPA Initiative also invited the public to submit
"external" (non-SCRSG-generated) MPA network proposals. Channelkeeper
partnered with Santa Monica Baykeeper to prepare and submit an external MPA
proposal that prioritizes the conservation goals of the MLPA, sound science, and
interests specific to the Santa Barbara community. We aim for this proposal to
inform the process and the SCRSG on important places to protect and components
necessary to ensure an effective MPA network that will restore and protect our
treasured underwater life, habitats, and natural resources. To learn more about
the MLPA Initiative, the draft MPA proposals, and ways you can participate, please
visit dfg.ca.gov/mlpa or contact us at michael@sbck.org or 805.637.8730.

Students Raise Funds for SBCK

La Colina Junior High School students Haley Peterson and Ian
Hall were given the task of fundraising for a local non-profit
organization of their choice as part of their Leadership Class.
Haley and Ian wanted to help make a difference for the
environment so they chose Channelkeeper as their
beneficiary. Haley wrote, "Channelkeeper works to help our
environment live up to its Santa Barbara potential and I think
that's awesome." Well, we think Haley and her supporters
are awesome! Haley and Ian raised and forwarded nearly
$500 in donations to Channelkeeper for their Leadership
Project. Thank you so much, Haley and Ian!

Shaun Tomson to Speak at Blue Water Ball

Shaun Tomson, former professional surfer,
environmentalist, actor, businessman and
creator of the Surfer's Code, will be our
guest speaker at the Ninth Annual Blue
Water Ball on Saturday, May 16th from 5-
8pm at QAD Headquarters. This year's event
will also feature hors d'oeuvres and wine,
live and silent auctions, a luau buffet, and
live entertainment. To buy tickets, donate
auction items, become an event sponsor or
volunteer, please contact Lisa at
lisa@sbck.org or 805.563.3377 ext.4.

"What the Channel Means to Me" Student Art

Show
"What the Channel Means to Me" Student Art
Show
For the sixth year in a row, Channelkeeper is
producing a marine environment-themed juried
student art show, "What the Channel Means to
Me", in partnership with the Santa Barbara
Museum of Art and Santa Barbara Bank and
Trust. The show's goal is to educate and inspire
local youth about the value of our marine
environment, and for their art to in turn educate
and inspire others in our community. A public
exhibit, reception and awards ceremony will be
held on Sunday, March 22nd from 2-4 pm at the
Santa Barbara Museum of Art's Ridley Tree
Education Center at McCormick House.

(Artwork from 2008 art show: "Fairy Tale" by Emily Kingsbury, Dos Pueblos High
School.)

Help Us Greet the Grunion!

It's that time of year again! Those elusive,
slithery silver fish will be visiting local beaches,
and we want YOU to help greet them. Join
Channelkeeper on Wednesday, April 15th from
6:00 - 8:30 pm at the Marine Science Auditorium
at UCSB for the 2009 Grunion Greeter
Workshop. Be one of the fortunate few to
observe the unique nocturnal habits of our
faithful friend, the grunion. You can contribute
to science by documenting grunion runs
throughout the season. Learn about the grunion
life cycle and how you can become an official Grunion Greeter, and sign up for a
shift at the workshop. For more information, view the workshop flyer. Please RSVP
for the workshop at ben@sbck.org or 805.563.3377 ext. 3.

Stream Team - March 7th & 8th

Stream Team is Channelkeeper's volunteer-based water
quality monitoring program. Every month, volunteers join
Channelkeeper staff to test for common water quality
parameters at numerous different sites in the Ventura River
and Goleta Slough watersheds. Come join us to help protect
our local waterways; we will be testing in Ventura on
Saturday, March 7th and in Goleta on Sunday, March 8th.
For more information, visit our website, or contact Penny
Owens at penny@sbck.org or 805.563.3377 ext.0.

Green Gardening Day

Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor Janet Wolf
is hosting a "Green Gardening Day" at La Sumida Nursery,
165 S. Patterson Avenue in Goleta on March 7th from 11:30-
1:30 pm with two special presentations. At noon, the Garden
Wise Guys, Owen Dell & Billy Goodnick, will be speaking on
"The Curious Case of ... Right Plant, Right Place!" and at
1:00 pm, Jeff Simeon, the Compost Guru, will be presenting
"Compost Magic: The New How To." There will also be two
excellent Garden Experts on hand to help answer specific
questions. Raffles and refreshments will be provided! For
more information, please contact Karin Quimby at 568-2195 or
kquimby@sbcbos2.org.

Become a Channelkeeper Member!

 Your support for Channelkeeper's efforts is needed now
more than ever. Become a member of the
Channelkeeper crew today with your tax-deductible
donation. You'll be investing in clean water and healthy
communities along the Santa Barbara Channel today
and for future generations. With your membership,
you will receive our regular newsletters, news updates
and action alerts, and invitations to special
Channelkeeper events and fun volunteer opportunities.
All new members also receive a free Channelkeeper
sticker, identifying you as a steward of the Santa
Barbara Channel. And now, all new donors contributing
$50 or more can receive a Channelkeeper t-shirt, and for donations of $250 or
more, quarterly issues of the Waterkeeper magazine.

Sign up today by calling 805.563.3377 x4 or emailing us at lisa@sbck.org