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Headlines F OCT OBER NEWS NEWS BY TE S NW VINTNERS FUND RESEARCH acing government budget cuts, North- west vintners and growers are increas- While vineyards flourish in Santa Barbara County (left), neighbors claim that energy company Venoco is performing hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, for oil. in a Santa Barbara County vineyard. Oil drilling, including highly visible offshore platforms, has been going on in the Central Coast county for decades, but fracking is new here. Some area residents are question- ing how and why Venoco, a Denver, Colo.- based energy company, was allowed to pro- ceed. Spokesman Mike Edwards confirmed to Wines & Vines that Venoco had fracked the two Los Alamos wells, but denied the company planned any more in the area. According to Doug Anthony, deputy Vineyard Gets Fracked L Energy company conducts petroleum extraction in California's Santa Barbara wine country os Alamos, Calif.—Hydraulic frac- turing, a controversial petroleum ex- traction method better known as hy- drofracking or fracking, has begun issue it is. The two wells were fairly deep, below the ground water. In the future, they will have to provide a California Environ- mental Impact Report," he said. The current wells are installed on a 3,100-acre cattle ranch, where owner Steve Lyons also grows some 110 acres of vineyard, planted to premium winegrapes. The drilling was not his choice: Previous owners had retained the mineral rights, al- lowing Venoco access to his property. The unsightly operation is, fortu- director of Santa Barbara's planning and development energy division, Venoco re- quested two drilling permits near Los Ala- mos, as they have done routinely for many oil wells in the county. What makes frack- ing different is its use of massive quanti- ties of water and "proprietary formulas" of chemicals to loosen shale substrata and extract petroleum: most commonly natu- ral gas, but in this case oil. "They injected. We found out after the fact, and they won't do it again," Anthony told Wines & Vines. Worried about ground water levels and quality, ranchers were up- set, he said. "We don't know how big an 16 Wines & Vines OCTOBeR 2011 nately, separated from the rest of the ranch by a ridge and barbed wire. A pipeline to dispose of toxic wastewater runs through Lyons' vines. "When the permits were issued, people winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keyword "fracking." on the West Coast didn't know about fracking," added Tom Prendiville, general manager of the ranch, who noted that a subterranean aquifer runs away from the vineyard, so vines are not contaminated. Eastern and Midwestern residents have heard more about the controversial process. Following heated debate, New York slapped a temporary moratorium on fracking after intensive lobbying from the Finger Lakes wine industry, among other interests. —Jane Firstenfeld ingly stepping up to support research and extension work that benefits them. Wash- ington state companies recently pledged $7.4 million toward construction of a new wine science center adjacent to Washington State University's Tri-Cities campus in Rich- land. The center, with an estimated price tag of $26.2 million, will consolidate the university's viticulture and enology teaching and research activities at one location. T WINE DEGREES IN WISCONSIN his fall, when classes begin for the Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance, Northeast Wiscon- sin Technical Col- lege will be among those offering de- gree and certificate programs incorporat- ing the organization's coursework and practical experience at area wineries and vineyards. Since it was founded eight years ago, the alliance has formed partnerships with 17 schools. The alliance is funded by the National Science Foundation. For more information visit vesta-usa.org. winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keyword "VESTA." PASO TO SHOWCASE TINY WINERIES curious consumers to the first Paso Garag- iste Festival on Nov. 11-12. Celebrating undiscovered artisan producers, according to co-founder Doug Minnick, the event will be held at Windfall Farms, a 724-acre equestrian facility once owned by "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek. For more information visit pasogaragiste.com. O winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keyword "garagiste." rganizers hope to draw 40 of the Cen- tral Coast's smallest wineries and 400