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VENOCO PAREDON PROJECT
No On Measure J Venoco has applied for permits to slant drill from an onshore site in Carpinteria into both on and offshore leases. The project would involve construction and 24/7 operation of a 175-foot drilling rig next to Carpinteria City Hall, the Carpinteria Bluffs, the Carpinteria harbor seal sanctuary and residential neighborhoods. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the City identifies 11 unavoidable impacts from the proposed project, including: threats to public safety, impacts to the seals and other wildlife, noise, visual impacts, air and water quality degradation, interference with recreation and public access, and the risk of an oil spill and/or gas leak.
EDC submitted a detailed comment letter on behalf of CVA, Citizens for the Bluffs, GOO! and the Sierra Club regarding the City’s Draft EIR in 2007. In April 2008, EDC and Santa Barbara Channelkeeperaddressed the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board’s Corrective Action Plan for Venoco’s Carpinteria oil & gas processing facility. EDC submitted comments on the City’s Proposed Final EIR in 2008. In May 2008, the City’s Environmental Review Committee (ERC) sent the Proposed Final EIR back to consultants for revisions and further information. In February 2009, before the EIR revisions were complete, Venoco abandoned the City's environmental review process and circulated the "Paredon Oil & Gas Drilling Initiative" in Carpinteria. While the intent behind voter initiatives in general is laudable, certain aspects of Venoco’s proposed initiative are illegal and unconstitutional. For example, the California Constitution clearly states that voter initiatives may not confer powers or duties on private corporations. Subsequently, the City of Carpinteria filed a challenge to the initiative language in Superior Court. The Paredon Oil & Gas Drilling Initiative, or Measure J, will now be on the June 8, 2010, ballot in Carpinteria. Information about Measure J, including a report from the City of Carpinteria, is available at online. More information can be found at http://CitizensAgainstParedon.org.
EDC and our partners are working diligently to ensure that the community of Carpinteria, its coastline and its sensitive ecosystems are properly protected from the array of significant risks posed by oil and gas extraction. Please contact us if you would like to help. With thanks to our partners: Carpinteria Valley Association Citizens for the Carpinteria Bluffs RESOURCES EDC Amicus Brief- July 16, 2010 |
©2009 Environmental Defense Center · 906 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Phone: 805-963-1622 | Fax: 805-962-3152 |
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