The affects of fossil fuels on human health has led to spread of disease, drought, respiratory problems, and heat-related deaths and illness. Environmental impacts include air pollution, water pollution, climate change, and loss of species. The economy has been whiplashed and burden with property loss, skyrocketing insurance claims, and the need for more national security.

Fossil Free by '33 has identified the problems with unsustainable energy practices, and has proposed a feasible program to achieve regional energy independence. Improvements in energy efficiency and conservation will be made through building smarter, improving fuel efficiency, and promoting public transportation.

New production methods of wind, solar, and ocean energy, along with recycling and conservation of energy will be put to work to provide the tri-counties with enough energy to be fossil fuel independent.

The Groundwater Connection
(Text from Heal the Ocean March 2006 newsletter RE: USGS Study of shallow groundwater beneath the City of Santa Barbara):

Heal the Ocean has been supporting a three-year investigation by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) of the shallow groundwater beneath the city of Santa Barbara near Mission Creek and along the waterfront. This project began in Fall, 2005, and has already resulted in some hugely significant findings.
During the week of December 5, 2005, USGS scientists found high fecal bacteria counts in one of the groundwater wells next to the beach at Santa Barbara's waterfront, at Skater’s Park on Cabrillo Blvd. The fecal bacteria included enterococcus and e. coli. These results suggest that fecal pollutants may be transferred into the ocean through shallow groundwater discharge.
The USGS scientists will be taking more samples and DNA tests will be performed. It should be noted that the water being sampled from these wells is not accessible to the frequently blamed pollution sources – homeless encampments in particular.
The implications are enormous, not only for Santa Barbara, but for all coastal communities which may now need to examine and consider shallow groundwater as an important mechanism for transporting pollutants to the ocean – whether from septic leachfields, faulty sewer laterals or cracked sewer mains.
The USGS work in Santa Barbara is "state-of-the-art" technology that has not yet been widely enacted or used. Stanford University did some preliminary investigations in 2004 and issued a news statement that groundwater transport of pollutants to the ocean was "likely."
Heal the Ocean has been hammering on this issue for years. Beginning in 1999 with the yearly financial help of The Ann Jackson Family Foundation, we participated (with Drew Bohan of Channelkeeper) in the hiring of a researcher to examine the City's sewer maintenance records. We also hired a leak detection expert to view video sewer inspections in areas we identified as problematic, and we searched for a reputable hydrologic/drilling company (unsuccessfully) that would get monitoring wells into certain locations based on careful study of maps of the areas.
Finally, when the City agreed to hire the USGS in a three-year investigation of groundwater beneath the city, Heal the Ocean leaped to the chance to support this project. We hired grantwriter Stephanie Jamgochian to contribute to the USGS work, and in September 2005, we handed the City of Santa Barbara a check for $30,000 to support the first year of the USGS investigation. These funds were generously granted to us by the Orange County Community Foundation (Marisla), $25,000, and the Andrew H. Burnett Foundation ($5,000).
The study, "Microbial Contamination of Urban Streams and Ocean Beaches" (MCUSOB), is a collaboration with the city of Santa Barbara, the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) and HTO.
By September 2005, the USGS team had installed 13 monitoring wells into the water table beneath Santa Barbara, and had performed a 24-hour sample collection on each of the 13 wells. To date, all of the wells have been sampled at least once for a full 24-hour period and a complete set of analytical results will be compiled during Year Two of the project.
Heal the Ocean believes the MCUSOB project is applying cutting-edge technology to an investigation that, when finished, will have vast implications not only for Santa Barbara, but for every coastal community in the nation – and possibly the world. Stephanie Jamgochian is currently working to raise at least $50,000 for HTO to contribute to Year Two of the USGS study, during which DNA tests will be performed on the water samples from both monitoring wells and Mission Creek.
Meanwhile, we continue our work on the potential, if not likely, sources of groundwater pollution – septic systems, sewer pipes and laterals. Mindful of what these findings may mean to homeowners financially, we continue to conduct, facilitate and oversee cost/feasibility studies, area by area.

GROUNDWATER WORK – FIRST YEAR

Drains emptying into Mission Creek have tested positive for caffeine and fecal sterols (evidence of human fecal contamination). Also, Heal the Ocean took to a USC lab samples collected from three USGS testing sites, and the USC lab discovered enteroviruses and human bacteroides in the Mission Creek/Haley Drain installation. (The city Creeks Division has since initiated the diversion of this drain into the El Estero wastewater treatment plant.)
Seepage run measurements along Mission Creek, to determine the connection between groundwater and creek, were conducted. This information is necessary to understand if pollutants from creeks are getting into groundwater and vice versa. USGS scientist Dr. John Izbicki said his team has discovered a "dramatic" connection between groundwater and Mission Creek – when the City's dewatering wells come on, the creek goes down.
Marine receptivity work at the near-shore during both high and low tides is mapping the position of the ocean/groundwater interface and the USGS team is using radium sampling techniques to identify exact areas of focused groundwater discharge to the ocean.
Seep meters have been installed along the beach to record the influx and discharge of ocean water over several tidal cycles. Over one of those tidal cycles, USGS samples for nutrients and fecal coliform to determine if pollution is coming from onshore or offshore.

End of Naples DEIR comment period August 28
by Katie McLean
Your opportunity to voice your concerns through mail, about the Naples development proposal detailed in the Draft Environmental Impact Report, ends August 28th! It is critical to inform decision makers of the depth and concern of the community. Every letter makes a difference.
Please write to express your opposition to the proposed development of Naples and support for the Naples Coalition’s alternative that moves residential development off of the sensitive coastal bluffs.
Send to:
Steve Chase Planning & Development Santa Barbara, CA 93101
123 East Anapamu St.
Pre-written letters are available on www.savenaples.org to be printed, signed, and mailed.

Oceanducks presents the Third Annual Channel Swim to benefit Santa Barbara Channelkeeper and other ocean-caring groups.

Santa Barbara, California (July 17, 2006) – On September 15-16, Oceanducks, Santa Barbara’s own ocean swimming adventure group, presents the 2006 Channel Swim, a fun-filled event that brings the community together to raise money for local environmental groups. The main beneficiary of this year’s fundraiser is Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, a nonprofit organization working to protect and restore the Channel and its watersheds.

Starting at Santa Cruz Island the evening of Friday, September 15, the Channel Swim involves more than 80 swimmers and kayakers who cross the 26-mile long channel in relay form, ending at East Beach in Santa Barbara Saturday afternoon. An award-ceremony and dinner party for all participants, organizers and sponsors is held immediately thereafter at East Beach Grill.

The annual fundraiser is arranged and executed by the Oceanducks, a local group founded to bring awareness to the ocean and encourage ocean swimming among young and old alike. The “Ducks” (headed by longtime swimmer Emilio Casanueva) have gathered at Butterfly Beach every Sunday morning for the past four years to swim, socialize and enjoy a potluck breakfast. Since the first Channel Swim in 2004, the group keeps growing weekly and includes swimmers of all ages and fitness levels. Many members swim together daily at Butterfly Beach, East Beach and Goleta Beach. Additionally, the organization offers adventure swim trips around the world, seeking out various locations to do channel crossings, including Mexico and the Caribbean.

Not only do the Ducks help promote health through ocean swimming and the importance of giving back to Mother Nature, the weekly gatherings and the Channel Swim provide a fun way for people in the community to come together.

For more information about the upcoming Channel Swim and the Oceanducks, please visit www.oceanducks.org or www.sbck.org. The 2004 and 2005 crossings were hugely successful, and we anticipate this year’s event will supersede all expectations.

Thanks for your time and consideration!

Sincerely,

Isabelle Gullö

PR Director
Santa Barbara Channel Swim
805-637-1892
isabelle.gullo@gmail.com