Action #1 -Submit a comment at a public hearing on Jan. 17th.
Three companies are proposing to drill over 750 new oil wells in the northern part of Santa Barbara County. The draft Enviromental Impact Report (EIR) for one of these companies – Aera – was released in December and is now open for public comment. There are two ways we can submit a comment: (Original post with background info. here. – written comments due by Jan. 28th.)
On January 17 at 6PM, there will be a public hearing where anyone can come and submit a comment on the draft EIR. Note – all comments must be made to be referring to the draft EIR itself. Here are some links to help.
- Aera draft EIR (Summary from 350 SB)
- What’s at stake? (Summary from 350sb.org)
- Cat Canyon Oil Drilling Fact Sheet English (Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Center)
Cat Canyon Oil Drilling Fact Sheet Spanish (Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Center)
- Aera draft EIR – official. (for you deep divers!)
- Issue summary from Los Padres Sierra Club.
- About the 3 companies involved.
Carpool info: Use this form to sign up to attend and 350.org will help arrange carpools, share talking points, and make sure you’re prepped and ready-to-go.
*Note: There are two locations:
–Location #1: The actual meeting will be at the Betteravia Government Center, Board of Supervisors’ Hearing Room, 511 East Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria
–Location #2: A video-connected meeting will be at the Engineering Building and Planning Commission Hearing Room, 123 E. Anapamu Street
Action #2 – Educational – Check out this map on “open” drilling leases.
Link here to interactive map.
Many of the areas that may be open for oil leasing are along the boundaries of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the Los Padres, Sequoia, and Inyo National Forests, the Carrizo Plain, Giant Sequoia, and Cesar E. Chavez National Monuments, several designated wilderness areas, national wildlife refuges, state parks, city and county parks, private nature reserves, and other conservation lands. Many — but not all — of these lands are identified on this map, particularly those that are in the vicinity of areas that could be opened for drilling and fracking..
Large area map
Here’s up to Lompoc.
Closer to home… (The big areas are our local naval bases)
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 
Stop! Stop poisoning our ground water. Stop digging up protected lands. Stop destroying our nation. Stop with your filthy shameful greed.
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