SHIRLEY KIMBERLIN Everything I list turns to SOLD! 805-886-0228 skimberlin@aol.com
This week’s listings on the back page
Venoco defers Paredon EIR, cites oil prices
Venoco inc. announced this week that, due to the recent downturn in oil prices, the oil and gas company will defer the start of the environmental review for the proposed Paredon Project. As part of the planning process for Venoco’s application to drill 22 wells from its Dump Road property, the city council had voted to move forward with the preparation of an Environmental impact Report at the Jan. 26 council meeting before Venoco decided to hit the brakes. The cost of completing an Environmental impact Report, including city staff time and the consultant’s fee, is expected to exceed $500,000. “As always, Venoco’s first and foremost priority is to ensure existing operations remain safe and reliable. This has resulted in the necessary slowdown of expenditures required for longer term development or growth plans,” stated a Venoco press release. without the ability to accurately predict when commodity prices will stabilize, Venoco stated that it could not provide a timeframe for a restart of the project EiR. Venoco has eyed drilling into on and offshore oil and gas reserves from its property for more than a decade and had an EiR prepared for the Paredon Project as proposed in 2007. The city has never gotten to the point of officially giving a yes or no vote on the project. The former EIR identified several significant impacts including the slim chance of a blowout from a well, which would be in proximity to the harbor seal rookery. As part of its review of city planning and zoning documents, the council had asked last year for proposals that could potentially alter the land-use options at the Venoco Oil and gas Processing Facility. Ultimately a decision could eliminate Venoco’s ability to drill from its property or lead to tighter regulation. City Community Development Department Director Jackie Campbell said that Venoco could choose to reinstate processing of its application and continue the environmental analysis stage at any time. ––Peter Dugré
JOEl COnROy
Edrington and Sportel honored as Educators of the Year –– page 12
Big man off campus
Bill Swing
At a ceremony honoring former Carpinteria Unified School District Superintendent Paul Cordeiro’s decade of service, the Carpinteria High School Letterman’s Club presented the outgoing schools boss with a jacket of his own. The specially appointed jacket was gifted at a campus assembly on Jan. 30. The honorary letterman slid on the jacket that was adorned with the years 2005 and 2015 on the sleeves—his start and end years—and patches on the coat represent 25 league championships, four CIF finalists and two CIF championships won during his tenure. The gift came as a surprise to Cordeiro who started his new job as superintendent of a Newhall district as of Feb. 1.
Play like a girl
Bill Swing
Female runners, jumpers, kickers, batters and swimmers represented Carpinteria High School on Feb. 2 at the National Girls and Women in Sports Day Luncheon held at Earl Warren Showgrounds. Presented by The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table, the event featured guest speaker Alissa Johnson, World Cup Ski Jumper and Champion Medalist.