Tag: Oil and Gas Industries

On July 23, 5 banks have to decide whether to renew three major loans to Enbridge for Line 3, or walk away. Help them decide.

Don’t make grandmothers do all the heavy lifting here!

  • Action #1: Call Wall Street Banks to Defund Line 3
  • Action #2: Email Wall Street Banks to Defund Line 3
  • Action #3: Grandmother letter-writing campaign to Dr. Jill Biden
  • Related action: Call to legislators and email to Biden here.

Action #1: Call Wall Street Banks to Defund Line 3

There is an actual deadline. On July 23, Citibank, Wells Fargo, Chase, Bank of America & Royal Bank of Canada have a major decision to make: renew $4.6 billion in loans to Enbridge, or walk away from Line 3.

Join in “Stop the Money Pipeline’s” well-designed campaign to contact any or all of their CEOs here. You can fill out their form and they’ll even dial the numbers for you automatically.

They’ve helpfully included tips for making your calls more effective and a short script to get you started.

Action #2: Email Wall Street Banks to Defund Line 3

Continue reading “On July 23, 5 banks have to decide whether to renew three major loans to Enbridge for Line 3, or walk away. Help them decide.” →

11/25: Today is the deadline to comment on the EPA rollback of protections against methane. The rich aren’t worried. They have bunkers.

Image: screen grab from UN video below. 

Action #1: Write a comment to prevent the fossil fuel industry’s ploy to rollback methane standards. Deadline: Monday, 11/25, 11:59 pm EST.

Today is your last chance to comment on the administration’s proposed rollback of regulations on the fossil fuel industry’s handling of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Many of us have wondered why they keep undoing our environmental protections…don’t the human beings behind these actions – rollbacks that will continue to drive pollution and global warming, care about themselves and the world their children and grandchildren will inherit?

Are they so wealthy that concerns about clean air and water are beneath them? Yes, actually… for an estimated 5 years, if they can make it to their climate-change-proof bunker in time.

Despite orchestrating deceptive campaigns for decades to make average Americans doubt the existence of global warming, our billionaire class knows the truth and are making plans. We are cordially NOT invited to join them.

  • Write your comment here.
  • Read their rollback proposal and specious reasoning here.
  • Read other comments for inspiration here. As always, commenters, DO NOT COPY OTHER COMMENTS, use pre-written comments from websites or sign petitions. The government searches out and destroys identical comments and only counts petitions as (1) signature.
  • Deeper dive into the methane regulation rollback and other interesting information below.

Action #2: Call your legislators and get them to stand up against this abuse of our regulatory agencies and our environmental protections.

Continue reading “11/25: Today is the deadline to comment on the EPA rollback of protections against methane. The rich aren’t worried. They have bunkers.” →

Wed. 11/20: Mark your calendar for tomorrow’s 3rd Thursday “Pizza, comradery, & postcard” event!”

Indivisible Ventura is still in mourning over Congressman Elijah Cummings’ passing. In his honor, we encourage everyone to do these actions for democracy listed on our 10/16 post.

Action  – Tomorrow – Thursday 11/21 – Meet at Santino’s for pizza, good conversation, and social justice – every Third Thursday starting at 11:30 am

  • Where: Santino’s Pizza. It’s at 4231 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, 93003
  • When: Thursday, Nov. 21st, 11:30am – 1:30pm.
  • RSVP for our supporters: Nope. Just come. Invite your friends!
    We do, however, reserve the right to refuse any volunteers and their services.
  • What to bring: We provide the pizza, postcards, stationary. If you prefer, you may bring your own stationary for letter actions.
  • Donations gratefully accepted: A postcard stamp is $0.35! We’re trying to achieve 300 finished postcards, which equals $105. Donations of money for stamps and pizza or rolls of postcard stamps are gratefully accepted. 
  • Questions? Email indivisibleventura@gmail.org

Tomorrow’s Menu:

Postcards: We’re going to be writing 300 postcards to voters in Texas in connection with the NAACP and the Center for Common Ground‘s – Reclaim our Vote campaign!

Why do we need a RECLAIM OUR VOTE campaign? Community of color voters are being placed on “Inactive” or “Unregistered” lists at a 16% higher rate than whites. The ability to vote of people in minority communities was already being systematically undermined over the last decade, by the imposition of strict new voter ID laws, by the reduction in polling places and early voting, and through many other tactics. Continue reading “Wed. 11/20: Mark your calendar for tomorrow’s 3rd Thursday “Pizza, comradery, & postcard” event!”” →

Thur. 10/17: “What can I do? I’m just one person.” Answer: “A lot.” Join us today for 3rd Thursday – Pizza, comradery, & postcards!

In honor of Congressman Elijah Cummings, please take some actions today to protect democracy. We’ve listed some on our 10/16 post and we have more below.

Action #1  – TODAY! Meet at Santino’s for pizza, comradery, and social justice – every Third Thursday starting at 11:30 am

  • Where: Santino’s Pizza. It’s at 4231 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, 93003
  • When: Thursday, Sept. 19th, 11:30am – 1:30pm.
  • RSVP for our supporters: Nope. Just come. Invite your friends!
    We do, however, reserve the right to refuse any volunteers and their services.
  • What to bring: We provide the pizza, postcards, stationary. If you prefer, you may bring your own stationary. A postcard stamp is $0.35. (300) postcards equals $105. Donations of stamps are always gratefully accepted. 
  • Questions? Email indivisibleventura@gmail.org

Today’s Menu:

Postcards: We’re going to be writing 300 postcards to voters in Dallas in connection with the NAACP and the Center for Common Ground‘s – Reclaim our Vote campaign!

Why do we need a RECLAIM OUR VOTE campaign? Community of color voters are being placed on “Inactive” or “Unregistered” lists at a 16% higher rate than whites. The ability to vote of people in minority communities was already being systematically undermined over the last decade, by the imposition of strict new voter ID laws, by the reduction in polling places and early voting, and through many other tactics.

 Cards of support: We’ll also send cards of support to Rep. Adam Schiff and staff. President Trump has focused his vitriol, and the rage of his followers against this incredibly brave legislator overseeing the inquiry that threatens his corrupt presidency.

Action #2  – Mark your calendars! Jim Hines of the Sierra Club needs our help! (Please share!)

image.png

“Greetings Friends of Our Oceans:

A vast pristine ocean area where some of the largest kelp beds in the world grow, numerous whale species swim and feed, sea otters frolic and giant Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtles glide through the clear waters. All currently protected by the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS). Continue reading “Thur. 10/17: “What can I do? I’m just one person.” Answer: “A lot.” Join us today for 3rd Thursday – Pizza, comradery, & postcards!” →

Fri 9/13: Carbajal’s anti-drilling bill passes the House. Join in to celebrate today and call your senators!

Action #1 – Congratulate Rep. Salud Carbajal for House passage of his bill banning off-shoring drilling!

All Santa Barbara Indivisibles and local activists are encouraged to attend Rep. Salud Carbajal’s press conference Friday September 13, to celebrate House passage of the “Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act” (H.R. 1941). This bill bans future offshore oil and gas leasing off the U.S. coasts, and includes Carbajal’s “California Clean Coast Act” (H.R. 279) within it, which permanently prohibit oil and gas leasing off the coast of the State of California.

WHO:

  • Rep. Salud Carbajal, CA-24
  • Linda Krop, Chief Counsel, Environmental Defense Center
  • Michael Lyons, President, Get Oil Out
  • Dennis Allen, Chairman, Allen Construction
  • Ben Pitterle, Science & Policy Director, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
  • Corley Kenna, Director, Global Communications and Public Relations, Patagonia
  • Sigrid Wright, CEO, Community Environmental Council

WHEN: Friday, September 13, 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. PDT
WHERE: Shoreline Park, East Parking Lot (closest to the pier), Santa Barbara, CA 93109

OR  thank him here: Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): email.  DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

The passage of this bill is crucial for Central Coast communities who have seen the devastation of the 1969 Santa Barbara and 2015 Plains All American Pipeline oil spills, and whose economies are directly tied to clean coasts and healthy ecosystems.
(Who cosponsored this? Check here – Julia Brownley and Katie Hill were cosponsors!)

Action #2 – Ask our legislators to get this passed in the Senate!

Continue reading “Fri 9/13: Carbajal’s anti-drilling bill passes the House. Join in to celebrate today and call your senators!” →

Thurs. 9/12: Sneaky “gut & amend” to AB 1299 – a bill about emergency services becomes a hall pass for an oil refinery.

Action – Call your state senator to vote “NO” on AB 1299

AB 1299 used to be a bill about the CA Emergency Services Act. However, all that has been crossed out and replaced with a cuckoo bird egg from the oil industry.

This bill was created to allow a specific Kern County refinery, Kern Oil, located next door to a neighborhood of about 1,000 people who are 70% Latino, and 1/3 children, escape monitoring the normal side effects of their product – hazardous and toxic air pollutants such as BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) (See Senate environmental analysis here).

Residents in the Kern Co. area already breathe some of the most polluted air in the nation, thanks to a confluence of vehicle exhaust, industrial operations, and stagnant valley air. In 2016, they sued the EPA over permit issues affecting pollution for a neighboring refinery and in January this year, the Kern County Board of Supervisors voted against a plan to allow tanker cars to deliver Bakken crude oil to that same refinery, due to air pollution and safety issues.

These people are fighting for their right to clean air. We stand with them.

Minimal script: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want state senator [___] to vote “NO” on AB 1299. Continue reading “Thurs. 9/12: Sneaky “gut & amend” to AB 1299 – a bill about emergency services becomes a hall pass for an oil refinery.” →

Mon 9/9: One-day notice! Join in to protect your community from oil industry pollution. County Supervisors Meeting Tuesday 9/10.

Actions – Write your supervisors and come to the meeting! 

“Hi indivisible and friends!
Los Padres National Forest is threatened by dangerously under-regulated oil development in Ventura County. We have a rare chance to change that.
On Tuesday, September 10, the Board of Supervisors will consider updating oil permitting to incorporate modern standards that better protect the health and safety of our communities and our environment. The proposed amendments would increase transparency, oversight, and public participation by ensuring that there is an environmental review, public notice, and a hearing before any new oil wells are drilled.

Mon 5/20: Urgent – Remind your senators that Daniel P. Collins should not be a judge.

Action – Trump really wants to destroy OUR court, the Ninth Circuit. Thank our senators for their dissent and get people with other senators to call!

The Senate is in at 3 PM with a 5:30 PM vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Daniel P. Collins to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.

Collins’ bio on the Munger, Tolles & Olson website highlights his history representing Big Oil in climate cases: “Mr. Collins also successfully argued two major cases in the Fifth and Ninth Circuits that effectively brought an end (for the time being) to efforts to hold the energy industry liable in tort for injuries allegedly caused by global warming.”

image.pngDaniel P. Collins, a former associate deputy U.S. attorney general specializes in defending the oil industry in high-profile climate and environmental cases, including the current crop of climate liability lawsuits. One of his clients Royal Dutch Shell, is among the companies being sued by a group of California communities trying to hold oil companies accountable for climate change-related damages. Certain aspects of those lawsuits are already being appealed to the Ninth Circuit, which covers California, the Pacific Northwest as well as Alaska and Hawaii.

We think we’ve already bagged our limit on corporate shills. Continue reading “Mon 5/20: Urgent – Remind your senators that Daniel P. Collins should not be a judge.” →

Mon – 1/28: Reminder – TODAY is the last day to write a comment on 750 new oil wells up the road.

Photo: from video on steam injection enhanced oil recovery.

Some may say “This isn’t our county…not our problem.”
That’s not how resistance works.
We are indivisibly linked, not just with our own town or county, but with the issues that threaten our neighbors, our state and our nation. Help make California inhospitable for the toxic oil drilling industry, not just in Cat Canyon, but everywhere. (See maps at the bottom for future installation fights. One is probably close to you or your water source.)

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 open for public comment until 5:00 this afternoon.

Action #1 –  Write a Public Comment TODAY, until 5:00 pm.

Anyone can submit a comment on the draft EIR directly to Kathryn Lehr: klehr@countyofsb.org  or through http://350sb.org/public-comment/. Note – all comments must be made to be referring to the draft EIR itself. Here are some links to help. Continue reading “Mon – 1/28: Reminder – TODAY is the last day to write a comment on 750 new oil wells up the road.” →

Mon 1/28: Today – 10:00 am in Camarillo. 50th anniversary of the environmental tragedy that started “Earth Day”.

The Center for Biological Diversity would like to cordially invite you to their “big, bold, badass protest” they are organizing on January 28th, the 50th anniversary of the Santa Barbara oil spill disaster.

From the Center for Biological Diversity…

“On January 28th, 1969, a massive offshore oil spill erupted in the Santa Barbara Channel, blanketing the California coast, including Chumash ancestral homeland, in over 3 million gallons of oil. The sight of the 800 square-mile oil slick inspired then-Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin to organize what came to be known as “Earth Day“, when he succeeded in amassing some 20 million people to the cause of educating people on issues related to the environment on April 20, 1970, with the help of U.S. Rep. Pete McCloskey of California.

In the 50 years since Santa Barbara’s disaster, other devastating oil spills – from Exxon Valdez in ‘89, to the BP Disaster in 2010, to the Plains Refugio spill in 2015 – have proven that offshore drilling remains dirty and dangerous.

But Trump and his swamp cabinet are moving forward with a proposal to dramatically expand offshore drilling in all our oceans – including off the California coast for the first time in more than 30 years – while simultaneously rolling back protections that prevent catastrophic oil spills. Continue reading “Mon 1/28: Today – 10:00 am in Camarillo. 50th anniversary of the environmental tragedy that started “Earth Day”.” →