East County News Service

October 17, 2015 (San Diego's East County) -- New, updated HVAC systems offer ways for homeowners to save energy, and therefor money in their wallets. But some homeowners may avoid updating their systems because they are afraid of what seems like a high cost to install.

Now with the new Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) program, that doesn’t have to be a concern. HERO offers financing for approved energy and water efficient products, as well as renewable energy products, for homeowners in San Diego. With the program, homeowners can get low, fixed-rate financing options and payment plans that can vary from five to 20 years, making it as easy as possible for homeowners to upgrade their heating and air conditioning units and better protect the environment.

Speakers blast proposed solar fees, defend energy choice against monopoly

October 9, 2015 (San Diego) - San Diego rallied to “SDG&E, Don’t Block the Sun!” on Wednesday, as hundreds gathered to protest San Diego Gas and Electric’s (SDG&E) proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that would cripple rooftop solar power and eliminate customer choice, according to opponents. A crowd of more than two hundred people, including ratepayers, business leaders, a Grammy-winning artist, and the Hip Hop Caucus’ nationwide bus tour, rallied outside Sempra Energy’s headquarters to defend customers’ ability to go solar.

East County News Service

Update October 9, 2015 - SANDAG voted for adoption of the Final San Diego Forward Plan and EIR.

October 6, 2015 (San Diego)--The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Board will consider approval of the Final San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan and its Sustainable Communities Strategy, as well as its  Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), on October 9. The October 9 Board meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in the SANDAG boardroom on the 7th Floor of 401 B Street, in downtown San Diego.

East County News Service

October 4, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—Caltrans is weighing whether or not to grant state scenic highway designation of State Route 52 from Mast Boulevard in Santee to Santo Road in San Diego, where the highway passes through Mission Trails Regional Park.  Preserve Wild Santee began seeking the designation in 2012 and the San Diego City Council passed a unanimous resolution in support in 2013, yet Caltrans has not yet taken action.

Save Mission Trails and Preserve Wild Santee are both asking the public to send letters urging support of the scenic highway designation to preserve the natural beauty of this area from projects such a power plant proposal recently withdrawn by the developer.  Save Mission Trails has provided a sample letter that you can sign and send to those listed below.

Note to our readers: Please send us your best photos taken alone highway 52 between Mast and Santos Road! We will publish the most scenic and beauitful photos.

East County News Service

September 26, 2015 (San Diego)—The San Diego Sierra Club plans a rally on October 7^th at 12 noon outside Sempra Energy headquarters (488 8^th Ave., San Diego) to protest the utility’s actions that environmentalists say are aimed at “crippling solar.”

Congressional leadership’s refusal to take a vote to continue a critical parks fund means 50 year conservation program could disintegrate, despite support to pass in both chambers

East County News Service

Photo: Saguaro National Park, courtesy of the National Park Service

September 26, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--The Land and Waer Conservation Act Fund is set to expire on September 30th if Congress fails to act.  The Republican leadership is blocking a floor vote, despite enough support in both houses to renew the landmark measure.

“Leadership is dithering and deliberately stalling, because if put to a vote, the House would  have the 218 votes needed for  reauthorization of this core conservation program,” said Alan Rowsome with The Wilderness Society, which co-chairs the national Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition. “On top of that, the Senate secured 60 votes for reauthorization back in January. So House  and Senate leadership are snatching defeat from the jaws of victory by holding America’s parks, trails, soccer fields and historic sites hostage —when  more than 75% of America disagrees with them.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of the White House

Pope Francis met with President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday, then delivered an address on the White House lawn to a crowd of over 11,000 people, CNN reports.

The Pope called on Christians to be responsible stewards of the earth.  "Climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation," he said. "When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change."

Originally Published on the ECOreport

By Roy L Hales

September 17, 2015 (San Diego) - San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors made history today. Californians have never voted on whether to demand the Department of Energy remove nuclear waste. As San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is decommissioned, a toxic waste dump is being built 600 feet from the Pacific Ocean, and roughly the same distance from the I-5. Unless some action is taken, 1,400 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel will be stored there. The Board of Supervisors voted 4-0, to “add to the County’s Legislative Program support for legislation that would remove and relocate outside of the San Diego region the spent nuclear fuel stored at the decommissioned San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.” San Diego BOS Says NO Spent Nuclear Fuel.

Hearing set for Oct. 13; public comments open now through Oct. 26

September 12, 2015 (Spring Valley ) – The County’s Planning & Development Services has proposed a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts for the Sweetwater Place project at the northwest corner of Sweetwater Springs Blvd. and Jamacha Blvd. in Spring Valley.

East County News Service

September 11, 2015 (Sacramento)—Two major measured backed by Governor Brown have failed to win passage at the end of  a special legislative session.

By Miriam Raftery

September 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—California’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a notice of intent to label glyphosate, an herbicide that is the main ingredient on Monsanto’s Roundup, as a carcinogen“known to cause cancer.”  The public has until October 5^th to comment on the proposal.

Glyphosate has also been linked to a sharp drop in Monarch butterfly populations across the nation as well as to potential health impacts in humans.

East County News Service

“Eagles need forests, not electricity.” – Duncan McFetridge, Cleveland National Forest Foundation co-chair and woodcarver who created this eagle statue.

September 6, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --The Cleveland National Forest Foundation (CNFF) has issued a written objection to a draft Record of Decision (ROD) issued by Cleveland National Forest Supervisor Will Metz. That decision permits SDG&E to replace electrical lines and poles as well as upgrade of electrical service on lands within and adjacent to Cleveland National Forest.

By Roger Coppock

Photo: NASA'S OCO-2 Satellite

September 6, 2015 (San Diego) -- From Version 7 data collected by NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory - 2 Satellite between May 28 and August 14, 2015, here are the CO2 emission hotspots in the San Diego and Imperial County areas.  A "CO2 Hotspot" is a point at which the infrared detectors aboard the satellite find significantly more CO2 than the CO2 in the points of the area around it.  The "Zscore" variable indicates the size of a CO2 anomaly--and our region has a cluster of staggering dimensions.

CO2 is the principal greenhouse gas driving manmade global warming.  Therefore, it is very very important to locate sources of CO2 emissions, so that they can be extinguished.  It is not an understatement to say that survival of human civilization over the next few centuries depends on this.  Satellites, like NASA's latest OCO-2, are the best tools available for locating CO2 sources around the planet.

August 30, 2015 (Rancho San Diego) – From tossing the turf to water-wise and fire-wise landscape designs, the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College in East County’s Rancho San Diego neighborhood has a wealth of classes.