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San Benito Rising
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| San Benito RIsing | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | San Benito County, Calif. |
| Type: | Nonprofit coalition |
| Year founded: | 2014 |
| Promoted policies | |
| Anti- fracking | |
San Benito Rising, also known as the Coalition to Protect San Benito, is a group of residents in San Benito County, Calif., who are dedicated to building a sustainable community for future generations. The group worked to pass the Measure J hydraulic fracturing (fracking) ban in San Benito County on November 4, 2014.[1][2]
Mission
According to the organization's website,[1]
| “ | Our mission is to educate our fellow citizens about how it's better to support sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and tourism by honoring and promoting the scenic and historical nature of the county including the Pinnacles National Park - Home of the California Condor, the historic Mission at San Juan Bautista and the San Benito County Wine Trail, and to Expose and Oppose the Misuse of the Water that supports it all – Clean Air, Water and Good Jobs is our Goal.[3] | ” |
History
San Benito Rising was organized in April 2014 as a "grassroots group of volunteers." Community members banded together in response to concerns surrounding the development of an exploratory steam injection well on a ranch near Pinnacles National Park. Citadel Exploration, a California-based oil and gas company, had leased the mineral rights to the land and constructed the well, dubbed "Project Indian," with the approval of San Benito County. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit claiming that the environmental review of the work site was insufficient, which halted work at the well.[4]
San Benito Rising volunteers drafted Measure J—a local fracking, cyclic steam injection and acidization ban. The group gathered signatures to place Measure J on the November 2014 ballot. Measure J passed on November 4, 2014, with 59 percent of the vote and instituted a fracking ban in San Benito County.[1][5][6]
Within days of the passage of Measure J, Citadel Exploration sued San Benito County for $1.2 billion in lost revenue due to the fracking ban. The company withdrew the lawsuit in April 2015.[7][8]
In March 2015, the San Benito County board of supervisors established a legal defense fund to help protect against future legal challenges to Measure J. County residents donated over $50,000 to the fund.[8]
Community work
San Benito Rising held a rally in support of Measure J at Pinnacles National Park on September 21, 2014. The rally had over 100 participants and was sponsored by the Center for Biological Diversity, 350.org, the Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch.[9]. The group worked to interact with the community each week by maintaining a presence at the Downtown Hollister Farmers Market. San Benito Rising also organized a wine tasting fundraiser in August 2014 to raise money in support of Measure J.[10]
Since the passage of Measure J, San Benito Rising has worked to defend the ban against challengers and support similar fracking bans across California and the nation.[11]
The group held an anniversary celebration one year after the passage of Measure J at Indian Canyon in Hollister, Calif.[11]
Leadership
As a nonprofit coalition, San Benito Rising does not have a formal leadership structure. The group is made up of ranchers, wine producers, community leaders, health professionals, business leaders, students, educators and allied organizations.
| Click "show" to the right for a list of all members[1] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Name | Name |
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Finances
The group raised more that $75,000 in support of the Measure J fracking ban by October 2014. One month later, the coalition had raised $130,000. San Benito Rising accepts donations online via credit card or Paypal.[4][12][13]
Media
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms San Benito Rising. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- San Benito County Fracking Ban Initiative, Measure J (November 2014)
- Fracking in California
- Nonprofit coalition
External links
- San Benito Rising homepage
- Coalition to Protect San Benito homepage
- Protect San Benito on Facebook
- Protect San Benito on Twitter
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 San Benito Rising, "About," accessed September 17, 2015
- ↑ Coalition to Protect San Benito, "Home," accessed September 17, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Los Angeles Times, "Election win puts rural San Benito County on anti-fracking map," November 29, 2014
- ↑ San Benito Rising, "Welcome to San Benito rising," accessed September 17, 2015
- ↑ Coalition to Protect San Benito, "About us," accessed September 17, 2015
- ↑ Free Lance News, "Updated: Oil company files $1.2 billion claim after Measure J's passage," November 11, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 KSBW News, "$1 billion lawsuit dropped against San Benito County," April 7, 2015
- ↑ San Benito Rising, "Social media," accessed September 17, 2015
- ↑ San Benito Rising, "Upcoming events," accessed September 17, 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Facebook, "Protect San Benito," accessed September 17, 2015
- ↑ Monterey Herald, "Big oil opens wallet to fight fracking bans," October 9, 2014
- ↑ Coalition to Protect San Benito, "Donate," accessed September 17, 2015
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