By Miriam Raftery

Photos:  Brush fire sparked by exploding wind turbine in Campo  in 2013.  Proposed new turbines would dwarf these older, smaller models.

July 26, 2018 (Boulevard) – The Boulevard Community Planning Group has sent a 26-page letter to the County opposing Terra-Gen’s proposed Torrey Wind project.  If approved, the project would erect 30 wind turbines each 586 feet tall—that’s 90 feet higher than the tallest skyscraper in downtown San Diego—on 2,,000 acres of absentee-owned ranchland formerly known as Big Country Ranch property at the north end of Ribbonwood Road.

The proposed major use permit for Torrey Wind (formerly known as San Diego Wind) will be on the Boulevard Planning Group’s agenda at its August 2^nd meeting at 7 p.m.  (View agenda)

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy Anza Borrego Foundation

July 26, 2018 (Borrego Springs) — With temperatures over 100 degrees, 79 volunteered fanned out for the annual Peninsular Bighorn Sheep count at 19 sites in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park from June 29 to July 1^st.   A total of 225 sheep were counted, up from 207 in 2017, but last year had the lowest in five years, down from 296 in 2014.

East County News Service

July 24, 2018 (San Diego) -- Proponents of the “Safeguard Our San Diego Countryside” ballot initiative have submitted 105,000 signatures to the San Diego Registrar of Voters. But Registrar Michael Vu says it’s unlikely that the signatures can be verified before the August 11 deadline for Supervisors to vote to put the measure on the ballot. Supervisors' last meeting before then is August 8.

By Julie Cart

Reprinted with permission from CalMatters

Photo by Oran Viriyincy via Flickr

July 15, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - State lawmakers, faced with a transformed energy landscape and a glut of renewable power as California charges into a greener future, are considering a handful of measures to meet the state’s energy challenges.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Protesters in Santee and Mission Trails Regional park opposed the pipeline; Preserve Wild Santee

June 22, 2018 (Santee) – By a unanimous vote, the California Public Utilities Commission has denied SDG&E/Sempra Energy’s request to build a 47-mile, three-foot diameter gas pipeline known as Line 3602, which would have replaced the aging Line 1600. The new line would have run through neighborhoods in San Diego’s North County and could also have impacted Mission Trails Regional Park and Sycamore Canyon preserves. 

Activists reacted with joy, while SDG&E voiced disappointment.  The utility had argued that the pipeline was necessary for safety and reliability.  But the CPUC rejected those arguments, based on the utility’s projections for natural gas supply and the CPUC natural gas reliability standards, 10 News reports.

Law will speak today at the El Cajon Library on his Pacific Crest Trail adventure

By Miriam Raftery

June 16, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Dana Law is a magician, but he’s recently completed a feat that required no magic—just a lot of willpower and walking.  He hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail, from the Mexican border to Canada. The trail runs 2,650 miles – the equivalent of climbing Mt.  Everest 16 and a half times.  He did it in 31 sections over 13 years.  In an interview with East County Magazine aired on KNSJ,  the intrepid local hiker discussed his adventures along the way, also offering advice to those who may wish to tackle the trail.

Click the audio link to listen to our interview, and scroll down for details on today's event, plus links to his blog and Facebook page, where you can find a journal he kept of each stretch along the route.

For Law, his motivation wasn't all about nature, though he has stated, "The trail symbolizes everytihng there is to love--and protect--in the Western States." To him, the real treasure of the trek are the bonds built with friends along the way, and the accomplishment of fulfilling a rigorous physical challenge.

County News Service

June 2, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- This June, wait out those warmer temperatures for the cool breezes the evening brings. We’ve planned star parties, evening hikes and educational programs the whole family will enjoy – at or after sunset! Inclement weather may cancel; contact the parks by clicking on the links below.

East County News Service

June 1, 2018 (Sacramento) -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. yesterday signed SB 606 by Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) and AB 1668 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) to help the state better prepare for droughts and climate change by establishing statewide water efficiency standards.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo CC Flicker/Jeffrey Grandy

May 18, 2018 (Salt Lake City) – Students mobilizing on gun violence issues have captured headlines nationwide. But another student-led effort has yielded tangible results: in Utah, one of the most conservative stations in the U.S., a coalition of students persuaded the Utah Legislature to adopt a resolution declaring climate change real and committing to strive for solutions.

East County News Service

May 8, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – County Parks are offering a variety of recreational opportunities coming up in East County, including a Mother’s Day hike on Volcan Mountain in Julian, a salute to military families including kayaking and mountain biking at Lake Morena, a star party at Oakoasis in Lakeside, hiking in Flinn Springs, wilderness survival for families in Lake Morena, and a bicycle ride and safety talk at Lindo Lakes in Lakeside. For details, scroll down.

By Julie Cart

Original story on CalMatters: https://calmatters.org/articles/news-analysis-heres-whats-important-for-land-sea-and-air-in-californias-fight-with-trump/

May 1, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - Editors’ note: This story was updated May 1 to reflect news developments.

The punch-counterpunch sparring between the Trump administration and the state of California over rollbacks of federal environmental regulations is often described as a war of words, with neither the president nor Gov. Jerry Brown giving an inch.

East County News Service

April 19, 2018 (San Diego) – Senate Bill 1487, the African Species Protection Act, is set for hearing in the California State Senate’s Public Safety Committee, where members include Senator Joel Anderson, whose district includes most of East County.  Wildlife conservation groups are urging the public to contact legislators on the committee to urge passage of the measure, which would ban possession in California of body parts from elephants, rhinos, giraffes, lions and other iconic African species.

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2018 (San Diego) – San Diego County ranks an “F” on the American Lung Association’s Report Card on the state of the air you breathe.   Nationwide, the city of San Diego, along with Carlsbad, also ranked the 6^th worst cities in the nation for ozone pollution, out of 227 metropolitan areas studied.

State Records Reveal Corroded Wellheads, Neglected Platforms, Failed Well Integrity Tests

East County News Service

April 11, 2018 (San Diego) – The Trump administration recently proposed opening up virtually all of California’s coastline to offshore drilling, including waters off San Diego. But companies drilling for oil and gas off the southern coast of California have violated state regulations at least 381 times since 2015, according to state records obtained by the Center for Biological Diversity. 

East County News Service

Photo: Grid Alternatives, a recent recipient of SDG&E’s Environmental Champions grant



April 11, 2018 (San Diego) – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) kicked off its ninth annual “Environmental Champions” grant program, which supports non-profit organizations and their missions to improve the environment in San Diego and southern Orange counties.