This "Looking Forward" op-ed piece by Ken Hough ran in the Santa Maria Times June 9, 2016: http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/commentary/looking-forward/orcutt-hill-oil-benefits-less-than-impacts/article_b4e19934-b07e-59fc-ae39-7d06a9eadb51.html

In a recent column, Rosemary Holmes described many of the problems with Pacific Coast Energy’s proposal to double the number of cyclic-steaming wells on its property from 96 to 192.

Since the initial 96 wells began pumping high-pressure steam into the Diatomite formation to loosen up the thick crude oil, the oil seeps that have occurred naturally throughout recorded history increased dramatically. The California Department of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources has had to step in to shut down some of the oil production to reduce the seeps.

When seeps occur, seep cans need to be installed to collect the oil. When seeps are discovered, bulldozers need to scrape new roads to the site, unless the seep happens to be adjacent to one of the existing dirt roads.

This op-ed piece by Ken Hough was published on Friday, February 12, 2016 in the Santa Maria Times: http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/commentary/looking-forward/supporting-basic-rights-for-farmworkers/article_5c64ba7c-7c67-56ad-b357-dc62ffc03994.html

After recent research revealed widespread labor abuses in Central Coast agricultural fields, farmworkers, advocates, and community organizations began advocating for a Farmworker Bill of Rights. They are asking the Ventura and Santa Barbara County Boards of Supervisors to set and enforce basic standards for agricultural labor. 

If passed, this would mark the first time county governments have used their powers to address the wide range of labor abuses common in agricultural work, including extreme overwork, wage theft, and health and safety risks.

The campaign is supported by over 80 elected officials, local businesses and organizations. These include faith-based, labor, environmental, immigrant, student, community and farmworker organizations.

Based on nearly 600 interviews with farmworkers, research by labor attorneys, and meetings with government agency officials, farm owners, and farmworker advocates, Central Coast United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) developed a Farmworker Bill of Rights to address three major issues.

This op-ed piece by Ken Hough was published on Thursday, January 7, 2016 in the Santa Maria Times: http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/commentary/reasons-to-deny-phillips-oil-train-terminal/article_eacb79a9-008a-59a8-bbb1-72982cd3aa20.html and the Lompoc Record: http://lompocrecord.com/news/opinion/editorial/commentary/forward-view/reasons-to-deny-phillips-oil-train-terminal/article_da332260-dceb-5131-bf83-82096544f62a.html.

San Luis Obispo County has finally issued the final environmental impact report on the much-discussed Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery rail project in the Nipomo Dunes.

Comments on the draft EIR were so numerous and compelling it took over a year to respond to them all and complete the final report.

The proposed project is officially the rail spur extension and crude oil unloading facility. In fact, the current rail spur is very short and provides no capability for crude oil deliveries. The project would be a large terminal for oil trains.

The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors have the authority to approve or deny the project. They should deny it for a host of reasons. I will focus on the potential impacts on residents of Santa Barbara County and beyond.

This "Forward View" op-ed piece by Jeanne Sparks was published in the Lompoc Record on Nov. 12, 2015: http://lompocrecord.com/news/opinion/editorial/commentary/forward-view/wide-ranging-efforts-to-thwart-climate-change/article_4c829abc-3e78-54c8-bd08-9f3d3503834d.html

This op-ed was also published as a "Looking Forward" piece in the Santa Maria Times on Nov. 13, 2015: http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/wide-ranging-efforts-to-thwart-climate-change/article_162fccef-587a-511d-b9a7-ddd685cdfcfd.html

World leaders will meet in Paris this month to come up with an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of climate change.

If we continue the way we are, the average global temperature could rise 9 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Scientists warn that an increase above 3.6 degrees will cause erratic climate and weather extremes, altered ecosystems and habitats, and risks to human health and society.

World leaders have been meeting for several months laying the groundwork for the summit. They have created plans to limit their greenhouse gas emissions and provide financial assistance to developing countries. Key to reaching climate change targets is helping poor countries get access to clean energy, water and sanitation, gender equality, education and health, while not exceeding climate thresholds.

We must encourage our elected officials to support the summit. We can also support the efforts of organizations that work locally, nationally and internationally to improve our world. One such organization is the Environmental Defense Fund, which works with partners in the U.S. and around the world. It has created a plan to improve climate, oceans, ecosystems and health. Check out Blueprint 2020 for more information: www.edf.org/blueprint2020.

This "Looking Forward" op-ed piece by Jeanne Sparks was published in the Santa Maria Times on Oct. 9, 2015: http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/commentary/looking-forward/doing-the-right-thing-on-climate-change/article_1e0096c3-70ce-5982-b679-8856f210ce47.html

People have debated mankind’s influence on climate since Aristotle’s time. The debate among non-scientists continues.

However, leading climate scientists no longer debate. Numerous studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals show that 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree — humans are causing global warming.

The first calculations of the effect of carbon dioxide on climate change were made in the 1800s. By the late 1950s, scientists were arguing that carbon dioxide emissions could have radical effects on climate. By the 1970s, 62 percent of publishing scientists were predicting global warming.

Back then, even oil giant Exxon was concerned.

In 1977, senior company scientist James Black told Exxon management, “There is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels.”