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BEC is proud to announce the Grand Opening of the new Oak Way Community Garden at the corner of Nord Ave and Oak Way in Chico.
It's time to clean our beloved park and creeks again! Join us for the annual Bidwell Park and Chico Creeks Clean-Up.
Saturday, October 18th the Arc Pavilion, 2020 Park St in Chico.
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BEC Protects
The Butte Environmental Council (BEC) is a non-profit environmental organization based in Chico, California. Our mission is to preserve and conserve the Earth’s natural resources, with particular attention to environmental issues in Northern California. BEC was formed in 1975 and throughout its 37 years, BEC has had a significant voice in shaping the environment and policies of Butte County and beyond.
BEC in the News
Highlights and Sticky Notes:The northern Sacramento Valley faces a serious threat. Gov. Jerry Brown continues to push his twin tunnels project, under the guise of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. The plan proposes a pair of massive tunnels with design capacity sufficient to drain the Sacramento River in a dry year.As Butte Environmental Council’s (BEC) water policy analyst representing North State communities, I reviewed and analyzed more than 40,000 pages of the plan’s description and environmental review documents. An increased, uncompromised water supply for south of Delta interests is the desire. Big Ag and Big Oil will get more water, you get the bill.Proponents failed to disclose the true source of water (the Sacramento Valley), but water transfers are written all over this plan. In fact, 34 separate documents reference water transfers. Proponents failed to acknowledge the potential for environmental and social impacts to the areas of origin, but removing up to 1 million acre-feet of water surely would have significant impacts. And, proponents failed to disclose the amount of groundwater that will increase water flow through the tunnels.Tags: BEC, water, peripheral canal, Twin Tunnels, BDCPby: rdifalco
Highlights and Sticky Notes:Chico Tree Advocates were on the job last Arbor Day, April 25. Thanks to more than 10 sponsors and our five volunteers, we received a great seminar about tree planting from Dave Bettencourt, city street tree supervisor.
Thanks also to the Butte Environmental Council for their encouragement and help as our fiscal agency and providing the bright orange vests for our volunteers. Thanks also to Grub and Rental Guys.
Our goal was to plant 10 trees. I bought eight, but when the day came, we had just five sites OK’d for planting. So we planted five trees and we’re still looking for homes for the other three. Since this was our first foray planting city street trees, and because the sky was threatening, I was OK with a short day. As it turned out, minutes after we finished, there was a downpour.
Discussing the day, we agreed that you feel something wonderful, powerful, almost spiritual, about planting trees. It felt good. We look forward to getting these last three planted and for an even larger tree planting event in the fall.Tags: BEC, trees, chicoby: rdifalco
June 1 - Chico: Butte Environmental Council Workshop "Lawns to Native Landscapes" with Garden Designer John Whittlesey 9 am - 2 pm. Dig-in for this hands-on Lawn Conversion workshop to conserve water, and create bird habitat. In Chico, water use goes up 60% in the summertime when we start watering our landscaping, so being mindful of what we plant can add up to huge water savings. During this event participants will join-in for a demonstration of lawn conversion, learn about appropriate native plants, get advice on their own yards, have soil samples analyzed, enjoy a lunch with friends, and take home a plant to get started. During the day we will also be learning about The Audubon Society's new Bird Friendly Yard Certification Program. This is a Free Event and limited to 20 people. For more info: (530) 891-6424 http://www.becnet.org/events/lawns-native-landscapes-0 or canyoncreeknurserydesign.com
BEC News Interests
Highlights and Sticky Notes:OROVILLE >> An initiative aimed at banning hydraulic fracking in Butte County will not go before the supervisors Tuesday.
In June a group called "Frack Free Butte County" submitted petitions to Butte County, seeking to put a measure on the ballot that would ban the use of hydraulic fracturing in the search and or recovery of oil and natural gas in gas in the county.
The measure was tied up in a legal challenge until Wednesday when Superior Court Judge Robert Glusman directed the Clerk-Recorder's Office to go forward with counting and authenticating the signatures on the petitions.A press release issued by Clerk-Recorder Candace Grubbs, who is also the county's chief elections officer, said her office had conducted a random check of 500 signatures among the 8,748 on the petitions in an effort to "certify" the initiative to go to the supervisors Tuesday.
The release said the random check was inconclusive and Grubbs' office would have to conduct a check of all the names on the petitions.
For the initiative to be certified there must be at least 7,605 authenticated signatures.Tags: fracking, ban, Butte County, election, waterby: rdifalco
Highlights and Sticky Notes:CHICO >> An initiative drive aimed at banning hydraulic fracturing in Butte County has received judicial sanction to move forward.
Butte County Superior Court Judge Robert Glusman ruled Wednesday against an effort to halt the petition drive, organized by a group calling itself Frack Free Butte County, voided. The fracking ban could end up in front of Butte County voters in November.
The petition calls for a ban on all hydraulic fracturing in Butte County. Hydraulic fracturing, often called "fracking," is a technique that involves injecting water and chemicals under high pressure underground to create new or revive existing oil and natural gas wells.
Opponents of fracking claim it poses a serious risk of environmental damage including water pollution.Tags: water, fracking, Butte Countyby: rdifalco
Comments:
- California officials have ordered an emergency shut-down of 11 oil and gas waste injection sites and a review more than 100 others in the state's drought-wracked Central Valley out of fear that companies may have been pumping fracking fluids and other toxic waste into drinking water aquifers there. - rdifalco
Highlights and Sticky Notes:The state's Division of Oil and Gas and Geothermal Resources on July 7 issued cease and desist orders to seven energy companies warning that they may be injecting their waste into aquifers that could be a source of drinking water, and stating that their waste disposal "poses danger to life, health, property, and natural resources." The orders were first reported by the Bakersfield Californian, and the state has confirmed with ProPublica that its investigation is expanding to look at additional wells.Tags: water, california, frackingby: rdifalco
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