May 18, 2001

Contact:
Y. Armondo Nieto, EDC: 805-963-1622
Alana Walczak, EDC: 805-963-1622

THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE CENTER ANNOUNCES
CHALLENGE GRANT
Anonymous Donors Pledge $200,000 as Challenge to Community to Raise $500,000 in 2001

SANTA BARBARA - The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) received a $200,000 anonymous pledge as a challenge to the community to raise a total of $500,000 by the end of the calendar year to fund the nonprofit organization's work to protect the quality of life on the Central Coast. This funding will be used to support EDC's day-to-day operations in its efforts to provide public education, advocacy, and legal services to community groups dedicated to environmental quality and health. The donor's intent is to challenge individuals, businesses and philanthropic institutions to step forward and declare support for environmental quality of life right now.

"We are very grateful for this extremely generous pledge. This is a critical year for the Environmental Defense Center, for our tri-county region and for the entire country," said Y. Armando Nieto, Executive Director of the EDC. "A new administration in Washington, D.C. seems intent on undoing environmental protections that have taken nearly three decades to develop. In response, a growing number of local residents are stepping forward to preserve and protect our environmental health and quality of life on the Central Coast."

The Environmental Defense Center is a non-profit, public interest environmental law firm serving Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties. Since 1977, EDC has been working with local environmental groups to ensure that existing environmental laws are enforced, focusing on issues involving water quality, environmental health and justice, land use and open space protection, biodiversity and endangered species, offshore oil and gas, and public access.

For more information, contact Y. Armando Nieto, Executive Director, or Alana Walczak, Development Director, of the Environmental Defense Center at (805) 963-1622.

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