Aid for Santa Maria levee

Money to stabilize the Santa Maria River levee, in the amount of $8.5 million in Fiscal Year 2009, has been approved in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, announced that the funding had been approved as part of the 2009 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.

Capps earlier this year requested that funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers be appropriated so the first stage of the project design could begin. The legislation will be taken up by the full House of Representatives later this summer, she said.

 

“This is remarkable progress in our ongoing effort to repair the Santa Maria River levee and protect the surrounding communities,” Capps said. This is fantastic news, not only for Santa Maria upriver, but the City of Guadalupe downriver,” said Lupe Alvarez, mayor of Guadalupe. Santa Maria Mayor Larry Lavagnino also praised the appropriation.

 

 

Sustainable Santa Ynez workshop Saturday, July 12

 “Sustainable Santa Ynez Valley” is the topic of a lunch workshop July 12 at Larner Vineyard in Solvang, 995 Ballard Canyon Road.

Lunch is at noon, and the workshop is structured to allow attendance either before or after lunch.

The workshop is the same, and is being offered twice for convenience of participants.

The first workshop will be held from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by lunch from noon to 1 p.m., followed by the second workshop from 1 to 2 p.m. Beverages will be available for purchase.

 

Lunch and the workshop are provided by REC Solar, which sells and installs solar electric systems for home or business.

Other groups and businesses will have informational booths at the workshop: Women’s Environmental Watch, Save Our Skies, Sedgwick Preserve, Shannon Scott Design, Nielsen Building Materials, Community Environmental Council, Allen Associates, Manzanita Nursery, SunRun, Arcadia Studio, New Frontiers, Santa Barbara Contractors Association, Santa Ynez Valley National History Society, Santa Ynez Valley Film Group, and Santa Barbara Permaculture Works.

Go to http://sustainablesantaynez.blogspot.com or call (805) 680-2225 for more information.