Weeders, Seeders, and Planters in Action at Felicita Park

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Escondido Neighbors United

The Weeders and Seeders were on the job today…weeding, cleaning, and planting three new oak trees!!  Join us on Tuesday mornings starting at 9 am!  Come on in, the weedings fine!

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Los Angeles Times: Health hazards of living near freeways and mapping tool

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Escondido Neighbors United

On March 2, the Los Angeles Times ran an important cover story about the health hazards of living near freeways. Here is the article.  Los Angeles Time Living Near Freeways.

It also includes an amazing mapping tool that allows you to type in any address and see the distance it is from a freeway.  It shows the 500 and 1,000 foot region that are most impacted, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with already compromised respiratory systems such as asthmatics.

This issue has come up in Escondido several times, most recently during the discussion around the Oak Creek housing development. During that time, Escondido Neighbors United shared the Air Resources Board’s  (ARB) air quality and land use planning guidance document and scientific data summaries on this issue with our local decision-makers to no avail.  The ARB recommends homes and schools be placed no closer than 500 feet.  ENU asked the Escondido City Council to deny projects that would locate people in homes or schools near known health hazards–such as freeways.

This is an issue that will continue to be of concern for people in the region.  We will continue to raise this issue with the Escondido City Council and the County as projects move forward.  We renew our request for the Council to establish a policy that will avoid projects that knowingly put people in harm’s way and within 500 feet of a freeway.   Air quality and health are issues that are important to and affect all of us.  And, so, all of us should work together to address these important issues.

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Stormwater GOLD STAR to Felicita Vida in the Felicita Creek Watershed

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Escondido Neighbors United

After the rains, we had a chance to visit the Felicita Vida Assisted Living facility on Felicita Road. Take a look at the fantastic and fully functional storm water measures or Best Management Practices that were implemented there. It was also fun to see multiple egrets walking and hunting in the ponds too! A great example of storm water measures incorporated into new development and working well to reduce erosion in the creek and protect water quality.  It appeared that these infiltration basins were well-maintained and working beautifully. Bottom-line, stormwater protections WORK!!!  Thank you and our first Stormwater GOLD STAR to Felicita Vida!

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Time to get Dirty! Join the Watershed Weeders and Seeders, Tuesdays, 9:00 am, Felicita Park

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Escondido Neighbors United

Escondido Neighbors United would like to invite interested persons of all ages to come and help us care of our beautiful Felicita Park!  We will be ‘weeding and seeding’ every Tuesday starting at 9:00 am and will work for a couple hours.  Right now, we need to remove invasive plants from our Park’s natural areas.  That means tackling the MUSTARD before it gets out of hand to start with!

We have the wonderful support of our County Park staff and we are very grateful for their help and care they offer to the Park as well.

Our next date will be January 31 at 9:00 am.  Meet County Volunteer Doreen Reagle at the ranger station. Bring your own garden gloves, a bucket and shovel if you have one, and clothes that you are OK getting a little dirty.  If you don’t have a pass, parking will cost $3.

In addition to weeding, we may be planting some native trees and plants to help restore the native landscape of our riparian park.

We don’t plan to work very hard and only for a couple hours so come and join us!  The Park is a precious gift so we want to care for it!

We hope to meet every Tuesday am so come by whenever you have time.  Watch this blog for any changes to the schedule.

Watershed Weeders and Seeders in Action. Weeders and Seeders in Action and The ‘fruits’ of our Labor

See you on the Trail!

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More progress on Chatham: Another treatment well is installed

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Escondido Neighbors United

We are happy to report that the ‘Fleet’ well is receiving its treatment system under the Chatham remediation efforts!  This well, located adjacent to Felicita road and south of the Park, has been tested for contamination for several years and found to exceed cleanup levels significantly (2-3 times the cleanup level).   This has been a long time in coming and, once finally in operation, will ensure that water from that well will remove contaminants before the water is used.  This well has been on an increasing trajectory for contamination results for several years (Table 3, H&A, 2015) and has been of concern as it is a downstream ‘toe’ of the TCE/PCE contamination plumes.   Depth of the wells is relevant.  As a water table well (shallow), the Fleet well contamination is all the more significant and of concern.

We are glad to see that this well is finally getting a treatment system.  We will continue to monitor the situation with the downstream VOCs and 1, 4-dioxane.

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DTSC releases Community Update on Chatham Barrel Yard contamination

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Escondido Neighbors United

The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has issued a year-end update on the contamination in the ground water coming released from the Chatham Barrel Yard in SW Escondido.  Please read it here  DTSC Community Update

ENU has been actively and diligently working on this site and support the soil vapor testing near some homes.  We are anxious to see the results.  It seems significant that one home will undergo follow-up indoor testing, but we haven’t see the raw data so we don’t know.  We are also curious how ‘low’ the levels of PCE are found in other sampling sites.  ENU will continue to look into this issue more to see if remediation needs to be conducted in these areas.

We are glad to hear that there will be a public meeting to discuss the Feasibility Study for stopping the flow of contaminants into Felicita Creek in the Park.  We will be sure to notify everyone of that meeting.

Stay Informed.  If you are interested in this site and issue, please sign up for updates at Sign up for Chatham Email Updates

The top priority of Escondido Neighbors United in 2017 is to ensure that contamination entering the creek and soil vapors near homes is eliminated.

Please join us if you, too, support this goal.

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Some Sweet Year-End News: Owls and Kids

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Escondido Neighbors United

A touching and important story appeared in the Los Angeles Times today.  Worth your time to read.
Los Angeles Times Story about owl and classroom

It is also an important reminder how connected we are with nature, or can be when we have the opportunity to fall in love with nature and the Earth.  Kids just love animals.  We are so touched to read at the end how the owl makes that young boy, who has so many difficulties in his life, “very happy”.  We are committed to keeping those animals that make him so happy part of our world.

We have our own local and very threatened Burrowing Owl populations that the Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Coalition will be working very hard to protect in 2017.  Escondido Neighbors United is a member of the coalition and we would love any help and support anyone would like to offer. (Just a reminder that you can offer a tax-deductible donation here.  Info for joining ENU )

We will share soon about our activities for 2017 but wanted to be sure everyone had a chance to enjoy this story.

Happy New Year!
From all of us at Escondido Neighbors United

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Escondido Climate Plan ranked lowest in the region. Gets a ‘needs improvement’ in Climate Action Campaign Report Card

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Escondido Neighbors United

This week the Climate Action Campaign released its first ever Climate Action Report Card.  Only only 9 of 19 cities in the region have even done a plan.  Of those plans that have been completed, Escondido ranked the lowest earning  a  ‘needs improvement’ ranking.  Our city came in last with 40 of 100 points.  Vista was next lowest with 47.  San Diego took home the Gold Medal with their nationally recognized Climate Action Plan.

There are so many excellent strategies that cities can adopt and pursue that make a city more energy efficient, nice to live in, and more cost-effective.  We look forward to working with Escondido to try to improve this plan so that next year our region shows ‘most improved’!
A good first step would be to investigate a Community Choice Energy study such as other North County cities are engaging in.

Below are highlights of the report.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS REPORT  Only nine (9) out of 19 San Diego region municipalities have adopted a CAP. We have graded seven (7) CAPs in this report. We have not graded the CAPs of Encinitas and Chula Vista, as those cities are in the process of updating their CAPs. Below are statistics on the seven (7) CAPs graded in this report.
 CAP Structural Elements:
  • 6 are legally binding (San Diego, San Marcos, Carlsbad, National City, Vista & Escondido)
  • 4 meet state GHG targets to 2030 (San Diego, San Marcos, Del Mar & Carlsbad)
  • 3 address social equity (San Diego, San Marcos & National City)
  • 2 address jobs (San Diego & National City)
  • 7 assign implementation responsibility to staff/department & have a timeline of strategies
  • 2 call for a public taskforce (San Diego & Del Mar)
  • 5 analyze costs of strategies (Del Mar, San Marcos, Carlsbad, Vista & Escondido)
  • 4 require annual monitoring (San Diego, San Marcos, Carlsbad & Vista)
  • 4 require GHG reporting at least every 3 yrs (San Diego, Carlsbad, National City & Escondido) 
Key CAP Strategies:
  • 2 include 100% clean energy goals & Community Choice Energy (CCE) (San Diego & Del Mar)
  • 3 have energy & water reduction goals and ordinances (San Diego, Del Mar & Carlsbad)
  • 4 have municipal & citywide ZEV policies (San Diego, Del Mar, Carlsbad & National City) 
  • 5 have commuter mode shift goals (San Diego, Del Mar, San Marcos, Carlsbad & Vista)
  • 3 have actionable smart growth strategies (San Diego, San Marcos & Vista)
  • 2 call for Zero Waste (San Diego & Del Mar)
  • 2 have tree canopy goals (San Diego & Del Mar) 

BREAKDOWN OF SCORES

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We’re Official! Escondido Neighbors United now part of the Environmental Center of San Diego

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Escondido Neighbors United

Dear Friends, Readers, and Supporters,
After three years of going it alone, Escondido Neighbors United has decided to take the next step–incorporating.
Well, sort of.
Our friends at the ECO-San Diego have offered to sponsor us under their incorporation since we support the same causes and are working for the same changes in the region.
 
This will have numerable benefits for ENU, but here are the two biggest.


1.  Your donations are now tax-deductible!
If you would like to donate to the work of ENU, your donations are now deductible under applicable laws.  Make your check out to ECO San Diego and write ENU in the memo. 

Please donations send to:
      ECO SD c/o Pam Heatherington,
      16973 Hierba Dr.
      San Diego, CA 92128

We are all volunteer, but your donations will help us print informational materials, secure support for our activities, and organize community events.

You are also invited to become a member of Environmental Center of San Diego  http://ecosandiego.org/

2.  We can now apply for grants to support our work— and we will be.
If you have grant-writing expertise or ideas about grants, please let us know.

In 2016, Escondido Neighbors United:

  • Continued our advocacy for remediation of the Chatham Waste Site
  • Testified at governmental hearings to try to improve the Oak Creek Project and cleanup Felicita Creek
  • Secured new soil vapor monitoring wells in our neighborhoods.
  • Secured listing of Felicita Creek on the list of impaired waterbodies.
  • Created the Watershed Weeders and Seeders to help remove invasive plants and collect and spread native seeds in our area. 
  • Toured elected officials in our area and educated them about our local issues.
  • Joined and supported coalitions of groups working to protect our rural, urban, and wildlife communities. 
  • Operated a Community Updates Blog sharing information about our community
  • Established our ‘Jewels of Escondido’ notices for places and events that make Escondido a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

As we plan our activities for 2017, we’d love to hear from you about what you’d like to work on in 2017!

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Water Board recommends Felicita Creek for listing as impaired from Chatham wastes

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Escondido Neighbors United

An important action took place for our region last week at the Water Board meeting.  Here’s a little water quality regulation background for some context.  The Federal and famous Clean Water Act that has done so much to protect, preserve, enhance, and cleanup our country’s waterways so that they are ‘fishable and swimmable’ .  Part of what is required is that water bodies (like Felicita Creek) that do not meet their ‘beneficial uses’ and cannot expect to without additional attention, are put on a list of called the 303(d) list of Impaired Waterbodies.

For many years, Felicita Creek has been listed on the 303(d) list for a few conditions.  However, this year the Water Board is recommending that the pollutants from the Chatham waste site be added to the list of impairments: TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane.  Escondido Neighbors United had requested and supports these additional listings.  We appreciate the Water Board’s action to include this new information on the updated list which prioritizes areas for the region.

Now, the State Water Board and then the US EPA still must sign off but ENU hopes it will continue to elevate our lovely creek as a priority for protection and action in the near future.

The new list isn’t updated list, but go here to learn more. San Diego Water Board website 303d

Stay Tuned!

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