Chico News & Review - A $7 billion blunder? - Feature Story - Local Stories - October 2... - 0 views
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Local environmental groups, including the Butte Environmental Council, AquAlliance, the Sacramento River Preservation Trust, Chico Conservation Voters and Friends of Butte Creek have come out against the proposition. So, too, have fishing groups and others worried about the impacts on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the state’s fishery.
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BEC officials note Prop. 1 includes some worthwhile components, such as water conservation and funding for restoring watersheds, but the bond promotes north-to-south water transfers via purchase at a time when existing water rights exceed the actual supply of water by a 5-to-1 ratio. The bond, as BEC points out, does not create more water.
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Carol Perkins, BEC’s water policy advocate, says the bond doesn’t address the urgent nature of the issue. “We need immediate solutions like recycling and efficiency improvements,” she said, “not borrowing now to purchase water and shift the burden to our children and grandchildren.”
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Chico News & Review - Compassion above all else - Editorial - Opinions - March 29, 2018 - 0 views
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Butte Environmental Council, which for decades has organized events to beautify our parks and waterways. During a cleanup in 2008, as the CN&R reported, BEC volunteers collected a whopping 10.5 tons of trash in five hours.
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Butte Environmental Council (BEC) is a community organization committed to protecting and defending environmental quality throughout Butte County. By regularly removing trash and recyclables that have found their way in to our urban creeks, parks and greenways BEC is helping to keep local water clean and safe, improving wildlife habitat and reducing human impacts on our environmental quality. Chico's urban waterways are heavily impacted by litter, illegal dumping, and creekside camping. BEC is committed to treating all members of our community with dignity and respect. We often remove materials left behind by those living along our creeks. Our non-confrontation policy asks our volunteers to avoid any interactions with those in the cleanup area besides inviting them to join us. In partnership with local law enforcement, we provide notice to camps in an effort to allow time for personal property to be removed. Usable items that are removed from our cleanup efforts are repurposed whenever possible to minimize what we send to the landfill. Our community cleanups have two goals: remove waste from our creeks, and build a community committed to healthy waterways.
Aquafornia - 1 views
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“A spokesman for the Environmental Water Caucus took a few verbal swipes at the Bay Delta Conservation Project (BDCP) during a November 29 Public Meeting in Sacramento. Nick Di Croce, one of the facilitators for the Caucus, indicated that most of the environmental organizations that make up the Caucus are opposed to the proposed tunnels or any other peripheral conveyance intended to divert Sacramento River water under or around the Delta. He characterized BDCP as an “impending environmental and financial disaster whose costs and unsettled financing are going to bury the tunnel-oriented project.” He indicated that his organization has questioned the Interior Department and the California Resources Department on what the real costs of fixing the Delta are, who is really going to pay for the project, and where the water is going to come from. Their questions have not been answered. … “
Neighbors needed to help clean up creeks with Butte Environmental Council - 2 views
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Chico >> Filling bags with trash and picking up cigarette butts isn't exactly a party, but its a good way to join neighbors in a cause. The Butte Environmental Council will organize six upcoming cleanups as part of its neighborhood block party program. BEC is known for organizing large-scale park cleanups during the warmer months.
Central Valley Business Times - 0 views
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The Environmental Water Caucus, a group of more than 20 environmental organizations, has filed a lengthy list of objections to Gov. Edmund Gerald Brown Jr.’s plan to drain fresh water out of the Sacramento River before it could flow into the California Delta.
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The Environmental Water Caucus includes the following organizations: AquAlliance; Butte Environmental Council; California Coastkeeper Alliance; California Save Our Streams Council; California Sportfishing Protection Alliance; California Striped Bass Association; California Water Impact Network (C-WIN); California Water Research Associates; Center for Biological Diversity; Citizens Water Watch; Clean Water Action; Desal Response Group; Earth Law Center; Environmental Justice Coalition for Water; Environmental Protection Information Center; Environmental Working Group; Food & Water Watch; Foothill Conservancy; Friends of the River; Karuk Tribe; Klamath Riverkeeper; North Coast Stream Flow Coalition; Northern California Council Federation of Fly Fishers; Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations; Planning and Conservation League; Restore the Delta; Sacramento River Preservation Trust; San Mateo County Democracy for America; Save the American River Association; Save the Bay Association; Sierra Club, California; Sierra Nevada Alliance; Southern California Watershed Alliance; the Bay Institute, and, Winnemem Wintu Tribe.
Chico News & Review - Constant cleanup - Feature Story - Local Stories - April 17, 2014 - 0 views
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The byproducts of homeless encampments—mattresses, tents, sleeping bags, food packaging, empty bottles, clothing and human waste—are increasingly common along Chico’s creeks, and the mess is more than unsightly. Many items at these makeshift homes have the potential to pollute the local waterways and habitats downstream.
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Members of volunteer cleanup crews, park officials and environmental advocates agree that the problem is worse than ever. They also acknowledge that, in light of the city’s ongoing financial difficulties, the ability to clean up the camps in a timely manner has diminished significantly.
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Robyn DiFalco, executive director of the Butte Environmental Council, said that in the months leading up to the Bidwell Park and Chico Creeks Cleanup last September, there was a dramatic increase in homeless encampments throughout Chico, and despite a lower than expected volunteer turnout, the cleanup removed about twice as much trash from the creeks as the year before.
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Chico News & Review - Editors' picks 2014 - Feature Story - Local Stories - October 16,... - 0 views
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Best cleansing of the creeks BEC’s Big Chico Creek Cleanup The sheer amount of garbage pulled out of Chico’s waterways during the cleanup on Sept. 20 was mind-boggling (nearly 20 tons!), and we’re thankful an organization like the Butte Environmental Council was around to organize it. We’re also thankful that so many community members (nearly 450!) volunteered to help the cause. The effort has never been more important, because our creeks were more littered with trash than ever before. (This year’s haul almost doubled the previous record.) And trash littering the banks of our creeks is more than gross and unattractive; our refuse floats downstream, harming aquatic habitats in the Sacramento River and eventually the Pacific Ocean. So, cheers to BEC and the volunteers who diverted that stuff to the landfill. The community and its waterways are much better for it.
Let the planting begin - 0 views
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When the city cut down 209 trees and planted only 14 in 2014, Charles Withuhn felt a huge sense of loss for what he sees as one of the most quintessential aspects of Chico. To him, the trunks and branches that line and tower over city streets are a part of Chico's unique charm and history. The canopy they provide is essential to the city's health, he believes, and their care is a responsibility of the city and its residents. In an effort to do his part, more than two years ago, Withuhn started Chico Tree Advocates, a local organization under the umbrella of the Butte Environmental Council. Members of the group work toward planting trees, educating the public and preserving Chico's urban forest. As a donations-only, volunteer-staffed group, Chico Tree Advocates has been able to plant more than 50 trees around town, both on city and private property, in the past year. Withuhn and many fellow advocates feel that the path the city is taking, in terms of cutting down trees and either not replacing them or replacing them with very small trees, is detrimental to Chico's urban forest.
BEC Head Steps Down - 0 views
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Butte Environmental Council will soon say goodbye to Robyn DiFalco, who is stepping down after four years as executive director of the environmental nonprofit. DiFalco (pictured) cited personal reasons for leaving, including spending more time with family. DiFalco's last day isn't set in stone, as she'll stick around to ensure her successor's smooth transition. The plan, DiFalco said, is to select a candidate by the end of February and make the change in March. "I care very passionately about BEC, about our work and all the people that I've worked with," DiFalco said. "I will continue to be involved with the organization, I just won't be a director. I'll be a community volunteer and I will continue to be passionate about our issues."
Change of guard for Butte Environmental Council: DiFalco departs, Carter takes over - 1 views
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She's helped to turn the Butte Environmental Council around, Stemen continued. She's extremely organized, which helped the nonprofit group stay focused and concentrate on improving programs. Recently, DiFalco announced that she was ready to do something else. She wasn't sure what, but she gave BEC the luxury of hiring someone to replace her, even offering to stay around to help the new person get settled on the job. As for the future, BEC made the announcement this week that Natalie Carter will take the helm at BEC. Carter's recent experience includes running the Chico Certified Farmers Market. She is scheduled to begin March 1, with a period of transition.
Chico News & Review - BEC's new boss - 0 views
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Stemen said the board values the connections Carter has made in the community and local government, particularly during the farmers' market's fight to retain its Saturday morning location at the city-owned parking lot at Second and Wall streets. While she may not have expertise on every issue or contacts in every jurisdiction BEC works, board members do-and the board doesn't expect Carter to chart BEC's course alone. "We're right where we want to be as an organization," Stemen said. "We want to do what we're doing better, and we want to do what we're doing more, but I don't think we really need to change anything-and I think Natalie fits right into that." "I was excessively fortunate that I got my first two weeks [overlapping] with Robyn," Carter said. "That was the perfect introduction to this."
Environmental organization celebrates 43 years in community - The Orion - 0 views
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The Butte Environmental Council’s 43rd Anniversary Gala was held in the ARC Pavillion Saturday. Within a hour of the event starting, the room was filled and the sounds of soulful alternative folk, thanks to the band Sunday Iris, welcomed members to their tables.
39th annual Endangered Species Faire is Saturday at Bidwell Park - 1 views
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"If you've ever wondered what it would be like to talk to the animals like Dr. Doolittle did, you can satisfy your curiosity at the 39th annual Endangered Species Faire on Saturday. The free public event, hosted by the Butte Environmental Council will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cedar Grove in Bidwell Park. The event's theme is "Finned Migrations: Connecting Warming Oceans to Inland Streams." The Endangered Species Faire features education and activities sponsored by more than 30 school groups, government agencies, environmental organizations and community groups on a variety of environmental issues."
Chicoans have Earth Day Brunch in an Effort to save Endangered Species - 0 views
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The Butte Environmental Council organized a brunch in honor of Earth Day in Chico and all the proceeds helped an organization, aimed at educating people about endangered species.
Plenty of things available to do this Saturday - 0 views
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The Butte Environmental Council’s 39th annual Endangered Species Faire is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Grove in Bidwell Park. The event’s theme is “Finned Migrations: Connecting Warming Oceans to Inland Streams.”
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" The Butte Environmental Council's 39th annual Endangered Species Faire is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Grove in Bidwell Park. The event's theme is "Finned Migrations: Connecting Warming Oceans to Inland Streams." More than 30 school groups, government agencies, environmental organizations and community groups provide a variety of education and activities on environmental issues. http://www.becnet.org/endangered-species-faire."
Letter: Protect our water future - Oroville Mercury Register - 0 views
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I was happy to see the Enterprise-Record's Friday editorial about the proposed delta water tunnels. These tunnels, if built, will drain the water in our north state rivers and aquifers, and will change our landscape and lifestyle forever. Like Lake Oroville and the California Aqueduct, once built there is no going back. It's critical that we, the citizens of the Northern California counties, take action to prevent the construction of these tunnels and the destruction to the north state that they will cause. A great deal of information has already been learned about the impacts of sending more of our water south. That information can be found on the websites of two excellent organizations in Chico. Both have been monitoring water policy in California for years and have been working to protect our water supplies. They are Aqualliance (www.aqualliance.net) and the Butte Environmental Council (www.becnet.org). Aqualliance was formed by local citizens, ranchers and farmers who realized the risk to our water supplies and who have been fighting to protect our water. BEC advocates for our natural resources and is actively working to inform citizens about current water plans and fighting powerful Southern California interests.
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Pay attention, learn the facts, find out what you can do, and support the groups that are working very hard for us. A great deal is at stake but by working together, we can
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protect our water and our way of life in Northern California. — Nancy Praizler, Chico
Water meeting tonight in Chico - Chico Enterprise Record - 0 views
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CHICO — Water exports and the Sacramento Valley will be the topic of a discussion tonight, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Chico Branch Library, 1103 Sherman Ave. Guest presenters include: * Ashley Indrieri, executive director of the Family Water Alliance, in Maxwell, a coalition that focuses on private property rights, agriculture, and "a balance between man and nature." * Carol Perkins, water policy advocate for Butte Environmental Council, whose mission is "to protect and defend the land, air and water of Butte County and the surrounding region."
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The event is part of Code Blue, a series organized by the Butte Environmental Council to generate discussion about water issues developing in Northern California.
Road trip to the delta for water education - Oroville Mercury Register - 1 views
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CHICO — Code Blue will be taking a road trip to the delta. People who follow water issues will meet at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Park and Ride on Highway 32 to carpool to the estuary. The trip is hosted by the Butte Environmental Council. For more information: http://www.becnet.org/code-blue-2013-water-outreach-campaign The trip is free, but the organizers would like people to sign up for planning purposes, nanibay@hotmail.com or (530) 891-6424.
Chico News & Review - Tunnel visions - Feature Story - Local Stories - April 18, 2013 - 0 views
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The Bay Delta Conservation Plan backed by Gov. Jerry Brown’s office is almost too enormous to comprehend. But it’s far and away the most significant infrastructure project going, so we have to try.
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Robyn DiFalco, executive director of the Butte Environmental Council, expressed a sentiment echoed by many water-conscious North State organizations and residents—that diverting water south through the proposed tunnels for mostly agricultural purposes in the San Joaquin Valley is in the best interest of that area’s farmers, but not for the rest of California.
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“It’s just not good policy for the state to invest so much money on behalf of watering farms in a desert,” she said.