Non-profit Corporation: Backcountry Against the Dump was organized in 1989 and incorporated in 1991 as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) California non-profit public benefit corporation. We call ourselves BAD for short. In 1992 we received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Unlike the Campo tribal corporation, Muht Hei, Inc., which was chartered to deal with the business of the Campo Landfill, and whose status with the state was previously listed as forfeited for unpaid fees (until we disclosed the fact and they paid up), BAD has been in good standing and listed with the state as active since our inception in 1991. We have a Board of Directors that makes decisions on strategy, fund-raising, and how to spend our limited funds. We unofficially changed our name to Backcountry Against Dumps (plural) after the La Posta Reservation announced their plans, in the early '90's, to pursue a hazardous waste incinerator, deceptively called the La Posta Recycling Center. This nasty project was to be located between I-8 and Old Highway 80 just west of Crestwood Road and east of La Posta Road. Thankfully, it fizzled out after a lot of work on our part. The La Posta Reservation now has a casino located just north of I-8.
Stated purpose: Our stated purpose is to gather information and conduct research to inform and defend groundwater dependent communities from environmentally unsafe facilities and projects. Our efforts have expanded in more recent years to address other major projects that threaten public health and safety, a wider variety of resources, our property values based on those resources, and our overall rural quality of life and community character.
What we do: The long-fought battle to defend our groundwater and other resources, property values, and rural quality of life has not been cheap. The projects we have worked on include the proposed 600-acre Campo Landfill on tribal land (abutted on three sides by private land with wells), the now-defunct La Posta hazardous waste incinerator, SDG&E’s yet-to-be-built 500 kV Sunrise Powerlink, Iberdrola Renewables' industrialization of the McCain Valley Resource Conservation Area with the 200 MW Tule Wind project and turbines exceeding 400 feet in height, SDG&E’s ECO Substation with a new giant substation near Jacumba and a 600% increase in the Boulevard Substation, Sempra’s proposed 1,250 MW cross-border Energia Sierra Juarez, the 160 MW wind energy project proposed by SDG&E, Invenergy and the Campo Kumeyaay Nation, and other obnoxious wind energy proposals and mega-development projects. Industrial wind turbines generate noise, low frequency vibrations and shadow flicker that can result in physical and emotional distress in people and animals. They can also throw blades thousands of feet, ignite wildfires and suffer tower collapse.
Newsletters: When needed, and as time allows, BAD sends out newsletters to the local community via bulk mail with information, updates, requests for help on specific issues, and requests for funding. We have continually enjoyed good community response and support.
You can help by making donations to BAD: BAD is an all-volunteer organization. No one gets paid for his or her work. BAD does hire attorneys and other professionals, as necessary, to deal with carefully selected legal issues. We do try to get as much research, legwork, and outreach done ourselves before hiring professional help. Our attorney is Stephan Volker of Volker Law Offices in Oakland. Please send what you can to BAD, P.O. Box 1275, Boulevard, CA 91905.
Your participation is also critical for BAD’s success: When the opportunity arises, your participation in calling and writing to elected representatives and decision makers can make all the difference in success or failure. BAD has been around a long time and has a credible reputation, but an outpouring from a community always gets attention. When called for, BAD sends out bulk mailers to the community with updated information for making calls, and pre-printed post cards for your convenience. Your participation and monetary contributions to the cause play a big part in the successful defense of our community and is always appreciated. Your support helps to defend and preserve our community's only source of water, property values, scenic integrity, and rural quality of life in general. Thank you!
Contact BAD:
Donna Tisdale, President
619-766-4170 ph
619-766-4922 fax
donnatisdale@hughes.net
PO Box 1275
Boulevard, CA 91905