Environment

Sea Fare Sails Again in Avila Beach

Submitted by Laurie

Wednesday, September 8th, 4:16 pm

The Avila Beach Sea Life Center is planning its biggest annual Sea Fare ever for 2010. For those who haven’t attended this great event, it is the annual fundraiser for the Sea Life Center which supplies needed funds for operations. This year the event will take place on October 22nd from 5:30 to 9pm at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, so mark those calendars!

Sea Fare pairs many local and statewide wineries with local restaurants for some out-of-this-world taste combinations, serving their finest wines and generous seafood creations. Included in the festivities are silent auctions and live entertainment. Guests sample the Central Coast’s finest fare and show their support for the Avila Beach Sea Life Center and it’s mission of providing children, their parents and educators with unique opportunities to be delighted and amazed by the ocean, its inhabitants, its uses, its history and its importance to mankind.

All donations to the Sea Lif

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Residential Water Audits

Submitted by Aaron

Wednesday, August 25th, 12:08 pm

The City of Santa Maria Utilities Department offers free water audits to City residents. A Water Conservation Specialist visits your home and evaluates your fixtures for opportunities to save water (and money) indoors and outdoors.

A water audit involves the following:

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Fee Free Days August 14-15 in Los Padres National Forest

Submitted by John Zuchelli

Wednesday, August 11th, 11:09 am

GOLETA, CA….Los Padres National Forest officials today announced that August 14-15 are “Fee Free” days for all visitors to the Forest. A National Forest Adventure Pass will not be required for visitors recreating in all areas of the Los Padres except for the Santa Barbara Ranger District’s Lower Santa Ynez Recreation Area, where an Adventure Pass will still be required.

“The Los Padres is working to ensure as many visitors as possible have the opportunity to experience the premiere recreational activities available to them on the Forest,” said Los Padres National Forest Supervisor Peggy Hernandez.

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Landfill Customers to Use Alternate Entrance during Gate Reconstruction

Submitted by John Zuchelli

Friday, August 6th, 2:13 pm

Beginning on Monday, August 9th, customers coming to the Santa Maria Regional
Landfill will be redirected to access the former entrance on East Main Street, while
contractors make improvements to the main entrance at Philbric Road.

This temporary detour will last about two weeks and the landfill will be open as usual during regular business hours.

This $122,000 project will widen the existing landfill gate at the intersection of East Main Street and Philbric Road, replace a storm drain pipe which runs across the entrance, and install other improvements to enhance the flow of traffic into and out of the landfill.

Brough Construction, Inc., of Arroyo Grande will perform the work under contract with the City.

Customers will be redirected to the former landfill entrance about a half-mile west. City staff strongly recommends that drivers obey all detour signs, temporary construction traffic control signs, and flagmen.

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Conoco Assessing Damage at Shut Santa Maria Refinery

Submitted by John Zuchelli

Thursday, August 5th, 9:21 am

NIPOMO- ConocoPhillips is assessing electrical equipment damage at its Santa Maria refinery in Arroyo Grande, California, Bill Stephens, a company spokesman, said in an e-mail.

The plant will restart when repairs are done, Stephens said. The plant shut Aug. 1 after experiencing “an electrical equipment failure and power outage.”

“The restart schedule is proprietary and subject to change,” Stephens said. “Meanwhile, we are taking appropriate measures to continue meeting the needs of our customers.”

More:http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-04/conoco-assessing-damage-at-shut-santa-maria-refinery-update1-.html

Source:Bloomberg

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BreitBurn Oil Lease reports second spill in a week (SM Times)

Submitted by John Zuchelli

Friday, July 30th, 2:46 pm

SANTA MARIA- A crude oil spill has occurred at the BreitBurn Oil Lease south of Orcutt for the second time in less than a week, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department said today.

About 2:15 a.m., fire crews sent one engine to 1555 Orcutt Hill Road in response to a produced water and crude oil spill near a separation tank, said Capt. David Sadecki. The total spill is estimated at 15 barrels (630 gallons) and the cause is still under investigation. More:http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/article_02746ac2-9bf8-11df-b927-001cc4c03286.html

Source: SM Times

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Maldonado heads to Gulf Coast

Submitted by John Zuchelli

Wednesday, July 28th, 10:15 am

LOUISIANA –California Lt. Governor Maldonado arrived in Louisiana with a delegation bringing California economic and environmental resources to Louisiana to assist in its recovery from the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In keeping with the Lt. Governor’s efforts to strengthen California’s oil spill prevention efforts as a member of the State Lands Commission, the Lt. Governor also met with Louisiana state officials from the Office of State Lands and their Natural Resources Department to discuss best practices and strategize on how to better protect their respective coastlines. Though California has recovered from on and offshore oil spills in the past, the Commission is currently reviewing its oil spill prevention protocols in light of the Gulf spill.

The Lt.

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Water Awareness Month

Submitted by Aaron

Wednesday, May 19th, 11:30 am

SANTA MARIA - The City of Santa Maria Utilities Department, along with other water agencies across Santa Barbara County, is observing the month of May as Water Awareness Month.

Water Awareness Month educates Californians on water issues and encourages wise use of water resources. The ultimate goal is to develop an awareness of water and the need to conserve water throughout the City and for the environment.

In promoting this year's campaign, City residents may receive (while supplies last), a water conservation packet or other promotional items such as toilet tank banks, shower timers, and informative brochures.

This year, the Utilities Department held its first Water Awareness School Poster Contest for third-grade students from the Santa Maria- Bonita School District to compete and create colorful posters symbolizing Water Awareness Month and why water conservation is important.

Prizes were given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

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Rotary Clubs To Improve Oso Flaco Lake Visitor Areas

Submitted by Katherine Worsham on Saturday, April 24th, 5:17 pm

Members of the Nipomo and Santa Maria Rotary Clubs are joining forces to repair and improve the visitor areas at Oso Flaco Lake on Saturday, April 24th.

It's all part of Rotary International's "Rotarians at Work Day".

Each year, Rotary clubs around the world participate in a local, one-day service project on the last Saturday in April.

Some of the projects members will be working on at Oso Flaco Lake include removing sand from the boardwalk, installing new signs, cleaning the entry, and removing non-native plants.

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Old Wine Barrels Given New Purpose, New Life

Submitted by Katherine

Tuesday, April 13th, 3:37 pm

For many on the Central Coast, wine is part of our daily lives, from week nights to weekends. From driving past vineyards on Highway 101 or taking visitors wine tasting, rarely do we think about the barrels that actually age the wine. One local company is working to bring longevity to the lives of those barrels, through re-using and recycling them.

If you travel down Betteravia, West of Santa Maria, you'll stumble upon the looming what once was the Union Sugar Plant.

The old building is now stacked with 10,000 old wine barrels.

The dark, humid, leaky space might not be ideal for most businesses, but when it comes to Quality Wine Barrels, the owners say the space is perfect.

Quality Wine Barrels co-founder Roger Burson reiterates that fact: "It's perfect. It's ideal for what we're doing."

What the company is doing is bringing new life to the old used barrels.

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