Mission Statement

The Environmental Defense Center protects and enhances the local environment through education, advocacy, and legal action.

Focus

Since 1977 we have empowered community based organizations to advance environmental protection. Our program areas include protecting coast and ocean resources, open spaces and wildlife, and human and environmental health. We primarily work within Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties on California's central coast.

History and Purpose

In 1969, Unocal's oil spill in the Santa Barbara Channel focused the nation's attention on the inherent dangers of irresponsible natural resource exploitation, and made Santa Barbara the birthplace of the modern environmental movement. By 1977, an increasingly bureaucratic web of regulations, coupled with a growing polluter sophistication, made necessary the creation of the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) as a public interest law firm, dedicated to defending the health of the public and the environment. For 30 years, EDC has provided legal, advocacy, organizing, and public education services to community groups dedicated to environmental quality and health, regardless of their ability to pay. EDC's staff assists other non-profit environmental groups to ensure that existing environmental laws are enforced. As the only public interest environmental law firm between Los Angeles and San Francisco, EDC focuses its efforts on water quality, biodiversity and endangered species, watershed protection, environmental health and justice, offshore oil and gas development, and access to public lands. EDC is organized as a §501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation serving Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties.

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