Butte Environmental Council

The Butte Environmental Council (BEC) is a non-profit environmental organization based in Butte County, California. Our mission is to protect and defend the land, air and water of Butte County and the surrounding region through action, advocacy and education. BEC was formed in 1975 and throughout its 40 years, BEC has had a significant voice in shaping the environment and policies of Butte County and beyond.

We envision a community where citizens are engaged, empowered, and organized to advocate for environmental interests, while living in harmony with the earth.

BEC and a Long History of Environmental Protection

Education

• The Endangered Species Faire: An annual commemoration of endangered animal species that encourages involvement of our community’s youth through interactive exhibits, engaging activities, presentations and festive entertainment. Between 3,000 and 10,000 people of all ages visit on Earth Day and participate in northern California’s oldest environmental fair.
• Park and Creek Cleanups: Every year thousands of pounds of trash are collected from Bidwell Park and surrounding creeks in BEC-sponsored clean-ups. Hundreds of volunteers work together every September to preserve the beauty and environmental integrity of our parklands since 1986.
• Environmental Speakers: Bill McKibben, Joseph Cornell, Lou Gold, and Walkin’ Jim Stoltz
• Education Programs: Recycling Education, Drought Education, Energy Efficiency
• Publications: The Vernal Pools of Butte County book, Environmental Health Covanta, The Environmental News.

Advocacy

• A collaboration with Sierra Club and North State Wilderness gets 6,000 acres of Ishi, Bucks Lake, and Chips Creek designated as wilderness area.
• BEC has been successfully defeating development plans. In 2010, City council, with suggestions from BEC, purchased Rancho Arroyo/Bidwell Ranch and Canyon Ranch areas and ordered a rezoning which would protect the critical ecosystem from industrial development.

Litigation

• Protecting citizens of the area from environmental health problems resulting from irresponsible companies through lengthy lawsuits and demands for cleaner business.
• In 1999 BEC successfully sued the Butte County Supervisors over violations of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Butte County’s code in the Ridgeway Development project. The courts halted the project until an adequate environmental review was done, as the law requires.

• More recently, BEC sued the California Drought Water Bank over water transfers that were done without proper environmental review. In March 2010, the courts sided with BEC and agreed that the law requires an environmental review before doing a water transfer.

BEC continues to be very active in Butte County and the surrounding region.

• Our advocacy programs are working to protect groundwater, improve air quality, and encourage growth that is healthy for the community and the environment.
• Our education programs continue to work to inform the public about environmental health and wellness through our workshops and our educational outreach materials.
• We are moving toward a membership development model that focuses on bringing people together and protecting the environment through building a strong community.
• We are still working to save the world.