Read the August E-Letter HERE
In May, HTO hosted record-breaking volunteer beach cleanups with more than 110 volunteers removing 400+ pounds of trash from our coastline. HTO and our partners at Earthcomb removed an additional 3,080 pounds of trash and hazardous waste near Atascadero Creek in Goleta.
HTO and TowBoatUS partnered in a rapid response effort to protect the Summerland shoreline from a beached vessel, and HTO advocated for policies that will increase the resilience of Santa Barbara's waterfront and benefit local biodiversity.
This month’s e-letter highlights these inspiring cleanup efforts, a celebration of the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project, important policy updates, an upcoming event, a volunteer spotlight, and the incredible support helping drive our Jack Johnson Matching Campaign nearly to our goal. Thank you for being part of the movement to protect the health and vitality of our coast!
Heal the Ocean is excited to share that this April, we partnered with Marborg Industries to expand a regional EPS (also known as Styrofoam) recycling program—now brought fully local to Santa Barbara. We also partnered with Earthcomb to remove over 1,600 lbs of trash and hazardous waste from More Mesa, including 30+ aerosol cans and 20 propane canisters—materials that can pose serious risks to coastal ecosystems.
HTO Starts the Year With All-New Website & Online Store
Another Good Start For 2018: Becker Well Capping Begins!
HTO Seeks Prop 1 Grant for Santa Ynez Septic-to-Sewer Project
Los Olivos Voting on Forming its own CSD to Handle Wastewater
HTO Welcomes Becky Twohey to Our Staff
2017 Dog Bag Program: A Dog-Gone Success!
HTO Support Reaches Historical High in 2017
For more than a week, we have watched aghast at the devastation of the fires that have destroyed home and property across Southern California. We have heard from friends in San Diego who have lost their homes, and from friends and loved ones who remained hunkered down for over a week, ready to evacuate the Skirball Fire in West Los Angeles/Brentwood area at a moment’s notice. . .
SB 44 HAS PASSED!
THE OIL WILL BE CLEANED UP!
WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU, OUR WONDERFUL SUPPORTERS!
Governor Jerry Brown has responded to the amazing outpouring of support from residents of Summerland, Santa Barbara, and across California as well as an army of Heal the Ocean supporters in favor of SB44 (Jackson) by signing the bill into law. . .
Becker Construction to Start; HTO Makes Progress on Groundwater Work; Come to our Blue Piano Event...and More!
CLICK HERE to read the full September E-Letter
HTO Wrapping up Aerial Oil Survey, Goes after Cliff-side Homeless Encampment, gets County off Plastic Dog bags, & has a GREAT time with Jack Johnson!
Governor OKs Funding for Becker Well! And more great news from HTO.
In this E-Letter: Becker Well EIR Arrives, Goleta and SB Move Forward on Recycled Water Plans, HTO Dog Show is Back!...and more!
CLICK HERE to read the full May 2017 E-Letter
In this E-Letter, HTO Flies High over Summerland Oil; Call for Letters; Collaborates with Regional Board; Cleaning Beaches …and more!
In this E-Letter: Aerial Survey of Summerland oil has begun!, The Hurley's join HTO Advisory Board, Plum Goods benefit on March 23,... and More!
In this E-Letter:HTO surveys oil seeps in Summerland;King Tides; La Cumbre Animal Hospital joins on as sponsor... and More! Click here to read full February 2017 E-Letter.
Responding to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board's roll out of its "Human Right to Water" program, Heal the Ocean attended its hearing in Santa Barbara at the end of January and offered assistance to implementing the program.
Specifically we offered to pay for staff support in the following three areas. . .
January is off to an exciting start for Heal the Ocean, as we have just acquired the funding to begin an aerial survey of the Summerland Oil Field. This survey will be completed by Aqueos, a renowned subsea service contractor, under the careful oversight of the California State Lands Commission. . .
Along with being an exciting thing to witness, the heavy rains, storm surges, and abnormal high tides of winter serve as an important educational tool. They can give us a glance of what our region will look like as the sea level rises and climate change influenced extreme weather events become more common. . .
In 1999, during the earliest days of HTO, someone came into our office with a vial of putrid water collected from the wall of the 101 freeway south onramp at Garden Street. We had it tested – and the bacterial readings were off the charts. The odors in this area were well known to Santa Barbara residents, especially the employees at the Home Improvement Center, who told us they got nauseous breathing the fumes. . .
The Dump gets Dumped - HTO Starts 2017 With Big Success for Groundwater!
HTO Sends $10,000 to SB County from 2016 Doggy Bag Campaign
Thank you, Supporters for the BEST YEAR in our History!
Over the weekend, President Obama signed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Bill, designed to fund a number of water projects across the nation. While this bill will undoubtedly have an effect on California's water supplies, many are wondering what those effects will be, why this bill was so contentious for Californian lawmakers, and what shape it can take under a Trump presidency. . .
