Environmental Defense Center
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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/
09/30/2026
🌊VICTORY🐳
Yesterday, AB 1448 was signed into law helping protect the California coast from offshore oil and gas drilling. This legislation, authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart, prohibits existing state infrastructure from supporting new federal offshore oil and gas development. It also strengthens state oversight of existing leases by requiring additional scrutiny and waiting periods for renewals, extension or changes.
As the Trump administration threatens to open up the California coast to new offshore leases, this bill provides California an additional line of defense to help protect our world-renowned marine environment, coastal economy, and community health.
EDC was proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill. Big thanks to for authoring this strong piece of legislation and to for signing it into law. This was a huge effort from so many of our partners and community members. Thank you all!
More info:
https://www.newspress.com/2026/09/30/gov-newsom-signs-two-bills-authored-by-assemblymember-gregg-hart/
09/25/2026
Will you join thousands of Californias across the state this Saturday, September 26 to take a stand against offshore oil drilling?
Hands Across the Sand will take place at Santa Barbara’s West Beach (near the 🐬fountain) with brief remarks from local leaders before we join hands at the water’s edge and take one unified photo that shows the country exactly what California wants: no offshore oil drilling. We will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and the work of the Coastal Commission in protecting and fighting for our waters and coastline across our state.
California’s Central Coast is under threat and Hands Across the Sand is a simple and fun way to stand up for our coast. Bring your kids, bring your neighbors, wear green, and join us at the beach this Saturday.
09/20/2026
After a morning of epic deliberations, the Board of Supervisors took the first step of what promises to be a protracted and historic pivot to pull the plug on all onshore oil development anywhere in Santa Barbara County. This Tuesday, the supervisors narrowly approved—by a 3-to-2 vote — a ban on any new onshore oil drilling.
The last time a new drilling proposal was approved took place in 2014.
Since all onshore oil production takes place in North County, the vote predictably followed the board’s traditional north-south split. This week’s vote was strategically tailored to ban only new drilling proposals, but in meetings over the past two years, the board majority had clearly indicated its intentions stop all existing onshore oil operations in the years to come as well.
To inoculate itself against inevitable litigation claiming an illegal, unconstitutional, and uncompensated “taking,” the board majority is hoping to stretch this closure of what has been one of the county’s foundational industries over a long period of time. How long this process — known as “amortization” — will take has yet to be determined. The supervisors were told Tuesday that it will take three years to determine how long this amortization process would be. An environmental impact report would have to be prepared and fought over.
Read more: https://www.independent.com/2026/09/15/santa-barbara-county-supervisors-bans-new-onshore-oil-drilling/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Energy&utm_content=Oil-Vote&utm_gen=utmdc
📸: Ingrid Bostrom / Santa Barbara Independent
09/20/2026
We are very excited to be partnering with Jack Johnson and All at Once for his upcoming show on Saturday, October 3rd at the Santa Barbara Bowl. This is a sold-out show, and we are lucky to have an opportunity to give away a pair of tickets!
Make a $50 donation to EDC and you will be entered into the raffle for two tickets to his SURFILMUSIC Tour concert. The winner will be announced on September 23rd.
You can make a $50 donation on our website at
Www.EnvironmentalDefenseCenter.org/edc-donate
We will also have a table at the Village Green at the concert on October 3rd. If you are going to the show, please stop by to say hello and learn how you can help us protect our coast from offshore oil drilling.
09/17/2026
What a summer it’s been - and it’s not over yet! Our next tgif!happy hour is coming up on Friday, September 18. Tickets are on sale now and we hope to see you there!
Join us at the EDC Courtyard (906 Garden Street, Santa Barbara) for an evening of live music by Salty Strings, food, drinks, raffle prizes, and good company — all while supporting environmental protection on the Central Coast. 🌊🌿 Guests will have a chance to visit with a few of our nonprofit partners and learn about their current work in our communities: 805 UndocuFund, Mothers for Peace, and Old Town Neighborhood Creek Justice Program.
📅 Sept. 18
🕠 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
🎟️ $15 in advance (before Friday at 12/noon),
$20 at the door- includes entry + 2 drinks
🚲 Free bike parking courtesy of
Want the full experience? Grab a VIP Season Pass for $95 and get access to all remaining events, a commemorative tgif! w**e glass, six raffle tickets per event, and a chance to win an overnight excursion in Cuyama Valley! 🏔️
🔗 Get your tickets at www.EnvironmentalDefenseCenter.org/tgif
This summer series is generously underwritten by Brighten Solar and Keller Rohrback L.L.P.
09/16/2026
🌊🐟🐸
Gather your family and friends to get outside and make a difference at your favorite beach or creek on the 42nd annual Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, September 19, from 9 am to 12/noon.
Volunteers are needed at locations throughout Santa Barbara County. You can join the EDC team at Devereux Creek in Goleta to help remove trash that threatens local wildlife and pollutes our clean streams and ocean waters. Volunteers should meet at Phelps Road and Cannon Green Drive.
Cleanup supplies will be provided but please wear close toed shoes, a long sleeve shirt and bring a water bottle.
Registration and more info:
https://exploreecology.org/coastal-cleanup-day/
Fun raffle prizes will be offered for those who register in advance!
Big thanks to our partners: City of Goleta and Explore Ecology.
Hope to see you Saturday!
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
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/
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