East County News Service

March 13, 2017 (Lakeside)  - Lakeside's River Park Conservancy will hold the 10th annual San Diego River Run 5k on Saturday, May 6 from  8 a.m. to 11 a.m.at the Lakeside River Park trail.

The San Diego River Run 5k will be held in the morning this year, with on-site registration beginning at 7:00 am and the race starting at 8:00 am. The event will take place at Lakeside's River Park located at 10398 Channel Road, Lakeside.

By Miriam Raftery

Image:  Interactive Map Shows if Your Drinking Water Is at Risk from Trump's Executive Order

 Source: Environmental Working Group, from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Geographic Information Systems Analysis of the Surface Drinking Water Provided by Intermittent, Ephemeral and Headwater Streams in the U.S.

March 5, 2017 (San Diego) — President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to rescind Clean Water Rule protections for small streams and replace it with a new rule allowing more pollution.  That action threatens drinking water supplies for millions of Americans – including 679,769 residents in San Diego County, according to data obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

By Mark Hughes, SanDiego350

March 5, 2017 (San Diego) -- On the evening of March 1, the organization Stay Cool 4 Grandkids hosted speakers who presented on two climate change topics. Representatives from Kids 4 Planet Earth spoke about their goal to have school children send one million letters to President Trump by Earth Day, telling him how important it is to them that he address climate change. Please help their request to go viral by sharing this goal on Facebook and other social media outlets.

East County News Service

February 27, 2017 (Lakeside) – There is a big dig going on at the River Park, where excavation is underway to build a foundation for the San Diego River Science Field Station.

According to the Lakeside River Park Conservancy, the San Diego River Science Field Station will become a hub for science education and research, allowing students, citizen scientists and PhDs to “rub shoulders and cross pollinate our knowledge and investigations of the San Diego River.”

East County News Service

New facility, built in partnership with AES Energy Storage, will enhance regional energy reliability while maximizing renewable energy use,

February 24, 2017 (San Diego) -- Today, SDG&E is showcasing the world’s largest lithium-ion battery energy storage facility in partnership with AES Energy Storage, which will enhance regional energy reliability while maximizing renewable energy use. The 30 megawatt (MW) energy storage facility is capable of storing up to 120 megawatt hours of energy, the energy equivalent of serving 20,000 customers for four hours.

By Bill Wellhouse, SanDiego350

Photo, left: Rally stage. Photo by Bill Wellhouse

The local affiliate of The Climate Mobilization, led by Derek and Nancy Cassady, held a rally Tuesday evening, February 21, 2017 at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building on Front Street in downtown San Diego. An energetic crowd gathered at 6:00 p.m.to protest the Trump administration’s national climate policy and to promote The Climate Mobilization’s solution to the climate crisis. The group’s primary mission is to induce the federal government to adopt a World War II-style mobilization to bring the nation to zero greenhouse gas emissions within a decade. This effort, they state, will revitalize American jobs and boost the economy.

East County News Service

February 22, 2017 (Lakeside) – From a 5K run/walk to the ever popular Boars and Brew fest, classes, hikes, a gala and a haunted trail, Lakeside  River Park Conservancy has a wealth of fascinating events coming up this year.

By Renée Owens, President, Wild Zone Conservation League

“Be aware that if any of my students made the statements you are erroneously posing as fact they would fail the course…”—Reneé Owens, environmental science instructor

February 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Yesterday I sent my Congressional Representative, Duncan Hunter Jr., a message urging him not to weaken or dismantle our Environmental Protection Agency, as the 2017 Congress is threatening to do. If anything the agency needs strengthening and more funds to do their jobs. Today he responded, telling me the EPA is a big problem. I know something about the EPA in my line of work, so I felt obligated to respond:

From the Editors of E - The Environmental Magazine

Photo: Tesla Motors will produce more lithium ion batteries in its new Nevada Gigafactory than were produced worldwide in 2013. Credit: Nakhon100, Flickr CC.

February 19, 2017 (San Diego) -- Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard that one of the big hurdles to growth in renewables is energy storage. What’s new in the world of battery technologies? And will better forms of storage really accelerate the development of solar, wind and other alternative forms of energy?  -- Maxwell Jay, Erie, PA

By Miriam Raftery

February 18, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Supervisors have rejected plans for a renewable energy overlay zone feasibility study, which would have cost an estimated half million dollars. The action came during a hearing on a Comprehensive Renewable Energy Plan.

Donna Tisdale, Chair of the Boulevard Planning Group and founder of Backcountry Against Dumps (BAD), voiced relief at the Supervisors’ rejection of the overlay zone.  “A renewable energy overlay zone would fast track any projects located within the designated boundaries. Based on some previous information, we had concerns that a renewable energy overlay zone would be placed over the Boulevard Planning Area and/or the Jacumba Planning Area,” she told ECM.

By Andy Tolley, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 16, 2017 (Lakeside) - The County cut the ribbon Thursday for the new Helix Flume Trail in Lakeside, and a group took an inaugural hike on the 0.8-mile path. It may be short in distance, but it’s long on history, with signs that share the story of early water transportation in San Diego. It also feature spectacular views of Lake Jennings and El Cajon Mountains.

The trailhead is located at 14003-14023 El Monte Road in Lakeside.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: McCain Valley, before construction

February 16, 2017 (McCain Valley) – The Department of the Interior temporarily shut down construction of the Tule Wind Energy project in McCain Valley  on January20th due to six confirmed violations of the right-of-way grant conditions, including “three incidents of ground disturbing work without a cultural monitor present and three incidents of clearing beyond the disturbance limits at four different locations,”  according to the notice of temporary suspension issued January 20^th.

Local drug discovery company to plant another 1,000 trees to enhance the area

East County News Service

February 11, 2017 (San Diego) - On Monday, February 20, Takeda California, Inc., the San Diego-based innovative research center of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, will return to the Walker Preserve in Santee to complete its four year effort to restore a 1.3-mile long stretch of the San Diego River Trail.

East County News Service

February 7, 2017 (Lakeside) - Robin Rierdan with the Lakeside Rive Park Conservancy will lead a series of four beautiful hikes through Lakeside. The first is this Friday, February 10^th along the Flume Trail in El Monte Valley.  Space is limited and registration is required by Thursday. Register here.

East County News Service

January 24, 2017 (San Diego) – Tonight, over 100 San Diegans including members of the Kumeyaay Nation and local climate activists, will rally outside the Federal Building (880 Front St.) to oppose President Donald Trump's decision to move ahead with the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipeline. This is one of several actions across the country.