Environmental Defense Center

Environmental Defense Center Working to protect and enhance our local environment since 1977. Every so often, an event captures the attention of an entire nation. history.

Whether terrible or celebratory, these rare moments can impact the way we view the world and have the potential to affect significant change. The 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill was one such event. On the morning of January 28, 1969, while the Union Oil crew on Platform A was retrieving a drill pipe from the bottom of an oil well five miles offshore from Summerland, something went terribly wrong: the

well blew out. Thus began one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. By the time it was over, more than three million gallons of oil were released, fouling 35 miles of coastline, killing as many as 15,000 seabirds, and poisoning dolphins, seals, and sea lions. The devastating images and painfully slow recovery led to the passage of some of our most important and enduring environmental laws at the state and federal levels – laws including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and the California Coastal Act. Community leaders in Santa Barbara realized that in order for the promise of these new laws to be fulfilled, there needed to be an organization on the ground, utilizing these new tools to ensure nothing like this could ever happen again here. In 1977, the doors were opened at the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), providing the people of the south central coast an environmental watchdog, an advocate, and a legal voice to counter the power of oil companies and other corporate polluters. Since that time, EDC has represented more than 100 different nonprofit organizations, retiring 40 offshore oil leases, stopping multiple efforts to import liquefied natural gas, and permanently preserving more than 100,000 acres of open space. Working from the historic Cordero Adobe building which we own in downtown Santa Barbara, along with a Ventura County office, located in the city of Ojai, EDC continues to this day as a vital community resource. We advocate for policies which protect our environment and human health and through expert legal representation of our clients. Over the years, our growing awareness of the impacts of climate disruption has reinforced the important role that EDC plays by standing up for our environment, our communities, and future generations. Learn more about EDC’s current work and explore some of our most significant victories for the local environment and the public interest on our website:
https://www.environmentaldefensecenter.org/past-victories/

The Central Coast of California has suffered the consequences of offshore drilling for more than a century, including th...
08/29/2026

The Central Coast of California has suffered the consequences of offshore drilling for more than a century, including the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and the 2015 Plains pipeline spill at Refugio Beach. We know the impacts all too well: birds and marine life killed; oil poisoning hundreds of miles of our coast and ocean; beaches, parks and fishery closed; a coastal economy that suffers; and our ability to enjoy our favorite wave or our daily beach walk taken away. Existing offshore platforms have aged far beyond their intended lifespans, and now the federal administration wants to use that same infrastructure to expand offshore drilling in federal waters for the first time in 40 years.

📢 Right now there is a bill to help stop them and protect our coast from expanded offshore oil drilling. Yesterday, legislative bill AB 1448 passed the Assembly and is now headed to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. We need your help today urging the Governor to take this important step to protect our coast and communities from future oil spills. 📢

Authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart, AB 1448 would prohibit the use of existing California infrastructure in state waters to support new federal oil and gas leases under Trump or any future President. In plain terms: it closes the loophole that lets the federal government reopen offshore drilling and route the oil through California’s aging pipelines and platforms — the same infrastructure that has already proven it can fail catastrophically.

The bill also requires the State Lands Commission to weigh prior oil spills, unconventional drilling techniques, and coastal impacts before approving lease changes.

Send an email today:
[email protected]

08/23/2026
EDC is looking for an experienced communications professional to help advance the organization’s mission by developing s...
08/19/2026

EDC is looking for an experienced communications professional to help advance the organization’s mission by developing stories, messaging, and campaigns that connect EDC’s programs to the people who need to hear about them—community members, donors, volunteers, journalists, decision makers, and others.

The position reports to EDC’s Deputy Director and works with the organization’s administrative team, providing support for content creation, digital presence, community outreach, program communications, and storytelling. This position is central to growing EDC’s visibility, broadening our base of supporters and donors, and deepening our communication to diverse communities across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.

For more information and details on how to apply visit: https://www.environmentaldefensecenter.org/join-our-team/

08/10/2026

We are honored to have Toni Cordero on our Board. As a member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and the Tribal Legal Liasion, Toni delivered important remarks at yesterday’s community gathering — representing native voices and speaking up for Mother Ocean and the nonhuman relatives who are also threatened by the federal administration’s review of California’s Coastal Management Plan.

It’s not too late to speak up for our coast at NOAA’s virtual hearings today and tomorrow, August 11 & 12, 2-5pm. Written comments are due Aug 22.

REGISTRATION LINK: https://events-na13.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/2358677976/en/events/event/shared/10627437296/event_landing.html?sco-id=10657313304&_charset_=utf-8

Thank you Heal the Bay for recording this presser.

Some good news on Diablo Canyon!
08/10/2026

Some good news on Diablo Canyon!

Governor Gavin Newsom announcing he will not extend the lifespan of nuclear power plant Diablo Canyon beyond 2030. Newsom says he will leave the fate of the plant up to the next administration.

For nearly 50 years, California’s coast has been protected by one of the nation’s strongest coastal management programs....
08/10/2026

For nearly 50 years, California’s coast has been protected by one of the nation’s strongest coastal management programs. Unfortunately, that protection is now under threat as the Trump administration seeks to weaken the state’s federally certified Coastal Management Program (CCMP). This program has ensured that state officials can review federal projects that impact California’s coastal resources. The CCMP process has helped protect marine habitats, wildlife, public access, water quality, and our coastal communities for decades.

📢 Right now, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is accepting public comments, and we need everyone who loves the coast to speak up. Hearings are taking place August 10, 11, & 12 and written comments are due August 22.

The stakes are real: this review could escalate ongoing federal-state conflicts over the federal government’s efforts to authorize offshore fracking in the Santa Barbara Channel, and Sable Offshore’s restart of oil production off Gaviota. At risk is California’s authority to protect our coastal resources and millions of dollars in annual federal funding to the Coastal Commission, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission if NOAA decertifies the state’s Coastal Management Plan.

If you care about the coast, we need your voice! Public participation is essential. Please join EDC and our partners across the state in speaking up for California’s coast. The CCMP is critical to protecting our beaches, wildlife, coastal communities, economy, and public access and recreation.

More info and links to participate: https://t.e2ma.net/message/evkllo/iqjkprw

07/30/2026

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a second petition against the Trump Administration, challenging the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) recent issuance of a new “non-emergency special permit” for Sable Offshore Corp. (Sable) to transpo...

For 50 years, California’s Coastal Management Program has given our state the leverage to say no to offshore oil, pipeli...
07/29/2026

For 50 years, California’s Coastal Management Program has given our state the leverage to say no to offshore oil, pipelines, and federal overreach on our coast.

Now, the Trump administration is singling us out with a rigged review designed to strip California of its coastal oversight authority, including over offshore oil like Sable.

These August hearings are our chance to speak out. Register, show up, and tell NOAA: California’s coast belongs to Californians.

Written comments are due August 22nd.
Email [email protected] with the subject line “Comments on Performance Evaluation of the California Coastal Management Program” and tell them California’s Coastal Commission deserves our support, not a federal takeover.

Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-12907/p-5

Join us for a complimentary webinar with our partners at Brighten Solar on Wednesday, July 22 at 11:30am to learn about ...
07/14/2026

Join us for a complimentary webinar with our partners at Brighten Solar on Wednesday, July 22 at 11:30am to learn about solar and battery storage for your home. They'll cover the challenges faced by our local grid, how solar and storage build energy resilience, and key shifts in the energy landscape affecting Central Coast homeowners.

📆 Wednesday, July 22
🕔11:30 AM

REGISTER NOW: 170efce7-a128-4176-b165-5ac71cdcc1e7@43efd3d2-26f2-45f1-a7da-1c77a71f3486" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/170efce7-a128-4176-b165-5ac71cdcc1e7@43efd3d2-26f2-45f1-a7da-1c77a71f3486

Address

906 Garden Street
Santa Barbara, CA
93101

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Environmental Defense Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category