SHIRLEY KIMBERLIN Everything I list turns to SOLD! 805-886-0228 skimberlin@aol.com
DAVID JASKOLSKI INSURANCE AGENCY INC.
CARPINTERIA/SB • 805.684.8808 • LIC# 0129684 WWW.FARMERSAGENT.COM/DJASKOLSKI
City council launches a frack attack
This week’s listings on the back page
Break a leg
BY CAT NEUSHL
Fracking is a divisive issue in California and across the nation, but it wasn’t for the Carpinteria City Council at its meeting on Feb. 24. Each of the five council members expressed support for crafting a letter to Governor Jerry Brown asking him to place a temporary moratorium on the practice in California. The letter should be ready by the end of March. At the meeting, city council members, representatives of the Carpinteria Valley Association, and local residents all expressed concerns about fracking, a process in which water and chemicals are injected into wells to enhance the extraction of oil and gas. The reasons for opposing the practice involved a myriad of environmental concerns, including the possibility of triggering an earthquake. City Councilman Fred Shaw said, “It just seems kind of foolish to go with something that injects chemicals into the ground. Even if there is a minor possibility that it is getting injected into groundwater … a moratorium makes a lot of sense.” Some members agreed with calling for a moratorium, but wanted to see further action taken. Councilman Al Clark said, “I would be interested in supporting a local ban.” He added that this would allow Carpinteria to maintain local control over the issue. City staff members, including City Manager Dave Durflinger, said the research, both legal and scientific, needed to propose a ban of any sort would be problematic at this time. He said it would be time consuming and that the current budget does not include funding for this purpose. In addition, he said the state should provide the needed information by January 2015 in accordance with Senate Bill 4, which requires the State Department of Conservation Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources to provide data about well stimulation practices, such as fracking. The bill also calls for an independent scientific analysis to be completed by the Natural Resources Agency. Community Development Director Jackie Campbell said that the city’s current permitting process gives representatives the ability to prohibit future projects that could involve fracking from land. Durflinger said that the possibility of a citywide ban could be revisited when the information from the state is available. Many other cities, including Culver City and Carson, have crafted resolutions against fracking. CVA brought the issue to the forefront by sending a letter to the city requesting a moratorium. CVA boardmember Jim Taylor said in the letter, “This will add our city’s voice to the rising chorus of localities, cities, and legislators requesting this important action.” Local resident Miguel Checa said, “I wish we could find a way to ban all well stimulation methods.” He added, “Our environment has been polluted for far too long by the coal, oil and gas industries.” Vice Mayor Gregg Carty added a closing thought.
CITY COUNCIL continued on page 5
EVELYN CERVANTES
The Studio B junior company gets down to the song “Rock Star” by Prima J. at the Rotary Club Talent Showcase on Feb. 22. The dancers were among the two dozen acts that took the stage for two performances at Plaza Playhouse Theater. Singers, dancers, comedians and musicians wowed the full house audiences, and all proceeds from the event will benefit community causes. For more photos, see pages 12 and 13.
Plastic bag makes comeback at Vons BY PETER DUGRÉ
Most of the headlines had read something like “Carpinteria bans the bag” when in 2012 the city council passed an ordinance to eliminate single-use paper and plastic bags at large retail stores within the city. The assumption was that plastic bags, the alleged scourge on the environment and contributor to the Texas-sized garbage gyre in the Pacific Ocean, had been wiped out. Then in mid-February, Vons grocery store resurrected plastic bags that comply with the bag ban. The city had not banned plastic; the key words in the ordinance were “single-use.” Vons assistant manager Charles Langhorne commented that the store needed to offer an affordable bag—Vons charges 20 cents each—for its customers, particularly tourists not prepared for Carpinteria’s ban. He commented that Albertsons offers a similarly priced bag so Vons sought a comparable price point. “We want to take care of the tourists,” he said. “We’re selling them pretty much at cost.” The Vons plastic bag, made from 60 percent recycled
content, is thicker than single-use bags and passes the “walk test.” Bags fitting the definition of reusable must be capable of carrying 22 pounds a distance of 175 feet at least 125 times. Whatever “durable
VONS continued on page 5