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Environmental Defense Center records
SBHC Mss 94  
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Table of contents What's This?
  • Access Restrictions
  • Use Restrictions
  • Preferred Citation
  • Historical Note
  • Scope and Content
  • Arrangement
  • Related Archival Material

  • Title: Environmental Defense Center records
    Identifier/Call Number: SBHC Mss 94
    Contributing Institution: UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
    Language of Material: English.
    Physical Description: 5 Linear Feet (12 document boxes, 5 audiocassettes, 31 videocassettes, 4 CDs, 1 DVD)
    Creator: Environmental Defense Center
    Date (inclusive): 1969-2013
    Date (bulk): 1977-2009
    Abstract: Organizational records of the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), a Santa Barbara, California, public interest law firm and citizen environmental advocacy group, documenting its activties from 1969 to 2013.
    Physical Location: Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library

    Access Restrictions

    The collection is open for research.

    Use Restrictions

    Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of Item], Environmental Defense Center records, SBHC Mss 94. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

    Historical Note

    The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) was incorporated in 1977 after the passage of both state and federal environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and California Coastal Act in the wake of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. Representing many non-profit organizations, the EDC has worked toward the preservation of open space, as well the ending of offshore oil leases in the Santa Barbara Channel and the stopping of liquefied natural gas importation to the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas--the region of the South Central Coast of California. As of 2018, the EDC has divided its work into four areas (The Santa Barbara Channel, Clean Water, Open Space and Wildlife, and Climate and Energy) in its efforts to protect the environment of California's South Central Coast through legal action, advocacy, and education.

    Scope and Content

    Organizational records, including administrative and issue files, newsletters, clippings, ephemera, and audiovisual materials, created by the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) of Santa Barbara, California, during the course of its activities as a public interest law firm and citizen environmental advocacy group from 1977 to 2013.
    Issues covered include the Santa Barbara County split proposals of the 1970s (Los Padres County), and the 2000s (Mission County), the Oil Initiative (Measure A) (1985), the Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP) Tranquillon Ridge Pipeline Project (2002-2009), as well as various water conservation and watershed protection projects and plans, including the State Water Project, the Lake Cachuma Authority, and the Santa Ynez River Watershed Enhancement Plan (1990s).
    County split materials contain records generated in partnership between the EDC and clients such as the Coalition Against the County Split (CACS) (2000s). Oil Initiative Measure materials include records generated by the EDC in partnership with clients Get Oil Out! (GOO!) and Concerned About Oil (1985).
    Tranquillon Ridge Project materials include records generated by the EDC in partnership with clients GOO!, the Citizens Planning Association of Santa Barbara (CPA), and the Community Environmental Council (CEC) (2002-2009).
    Administrative files cover activities between 1969-1984, including the activities of Santa Barbara Citizens for Environmental Defense (SBCED) 1969-1984, and the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) 1977-1984.
    These records contain a run of Environmental Defense Center Newsletters (Environmental Defense Center Newsletter and the Environmental Defender) from 1978-2013, as well as audiovisual materials, dating from 2003-2006, covering the Santa Barbara County Split proposal (Mission County).

    Arrangement

    These records have been divided into the following series: 1. General administrative files, 2. Newsletters, 3. Oil Initiative/ Measure A, 4. Santa Barbara County split (1970s), 5. Santa Barbara County split (2001-2006), 6. Water, 7. Tranquillon Ridge Pipeline, and 8. Audiovisual.
    This arrangement follows original file order.

    Related Archival Material

    Marc McGinnes papers, UArch FacP 59, Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library.
    Get Oil Out! (GOO!) collection, SBHC Mss 10, Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Environmentalism -- California -- Santa Barbara County -- History
    Environmental policy -- California -- Citizen participation
    Environmental protection -- California
    Administrative records
    Audiocassettes
    Clippings (information artifacts)
    Compact discs
    DVDs
    Newsletters
    Printed ephemera
    Videocassettes
    Environmental Defense Center -- Archives