Rachel Altman, Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara Planning Commission recently voted to deny ExxonMobil’s proposal to restart offshore drilling and truck oil to Kern County on the dangerous and windy route 166; in March the final decision will be voted on by the Board of Supervisors.  Meanwhile, we face another threat to California’s goal of 100 percent clean energy […]

The Republican party is attempting to overturn democracy yet again, this time in California. Trump allies, conspiracy theorists, and anti-vaxxers are counting on low turnout among Democrats, Independents, and progressives to pull off their scheme to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom with a right-wing Republican. The stakes are high: Our governor has the power to appoint […]

More than 7 million Californians live within 1 mile of an oil or gas well. Of those, 362,000 live in Santa Barbara County, the majority in low-income communities or communities of color. Living near oil and gas wells is linked with an increased risk of cancer, asthma, high-risk pregnancies and learning disabilities in children, as […]

Late the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 16, the Newsom administration quietly issued six new fracking permits to Aera Energy (owned by Shell and Exxon), bringing the total of approvals since April to 54. As a candidate, Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to oppose fracking. During our recent wildfires, he took to the national stage to declare […]

We all want good jobs for ourselves and our neighbors, excellent schools, and a robust economy. Ditto for a clean and healthy environment in which our children and grandchildren can live, play, and thrive long into the future. These are not mutually exclusive possibilities. Nevertheless, those who stand to profit from fossil fuel production often […]

After an event such as the Climate Strike, we inevitably see critical letters asking, “How many people drove cars to this event?” or, “How many rode their bikes?” Good questions. Let’s look at this in a larger context. Oil corporations have spent vast amounts of money to convince us that we cannot live without their […]

The third postponement of ERG’s Planning Commission hearing on the West Cat Canyon Oil Project (“West Cat Canyon oil project decision delayed indefinitely,” Aug. 22) takes place in a larger context that needs clarification. ERG is one of three oil companies to declare bankruptcy in our county in the last five years. Oil prices and […]

“My doctor said if I want to stay slender, I should reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet!” reads a typical cigarette ad from the ’50s. Another: “After ten months … medical specialists report no adverse effects from smoking Chesterfield.” It wasn’t until 1964 that the Surgeon General’s report announced that cigarettes cause cancer. […]