Form 990 PDF File Download Link - [www.taxexemptworld.com]
Category Value
OrganizationName ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GROUP INC
SecondaryName n/r
EmployerIdentificationNumber 23-7252042
InCareOfName ALAN TRATNER
ReportedAssetAmount $15,968
ReportedAssetAmountRange $10,000 to $24,999
ReportedIncomeAmount $69,106
ReportedIncomeAmountRange $25,000 to $99,999
ReportedForm990RevenueAmount $69,106
Address PO BOX 285
City SANTA BARBARA
State CA
ZipCode 93102-0285
County Santa Barbara
Classification Educational Organization
Affiliation This organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
RulingDate 01/1973
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
FoundationCategory n/r
PrincipalActivity1 n/r
PrincipalActivity2 n/r
PrincipalActivity3 n/r
OrganizationType Corporation
ExemptStatus Unconditional Exemption
AdvancedRulingExpirationDate n/r
TaxPeriod 06/2010
FilingRequirement Form 990 - Not required to file(all other)
AccountingEndMonth 06
TaxonomyCategory n/r

Quote

FD3

FD3 is commited to introducing new expanded understandings about all aspects of evolution and creation from a subconscious position known as the Final Dimension. It is the key to opening the doors...

(34.16104,-118.636086) More >
Woodland Hills, CA | (No Reviews)

Interest Areas: Arts & Culture, Education & Literacy, Media & Broadcasting, Sports & Recreation
Updated: 2009-02-20 12:21:10.0, Distance: 7.5558968 miles away
[webcache.googleusercontent.com]

From a cache of volunteermatch.org

Final Dimensions Three FD3 Logo

[webcache.googleusercontent.com]

To aid interested persons, here is one persons attempt to describe the logo in words.

At a quick glance, the FD3 logo/emblem appears to be a swallowtail butterfly, with the letters F and D in lozenges on the upper wings, in harmony the dark and light patterning of the butterfly.

The swallowtail butterfly is reflected against a shimmering horizontal pool of light that suggests a darkened mirror or body of water in dim light.

The bottom half of the butterfly the lower wings with the two long 'swallow tails') reflect upward.

If one looks more closely the butterfly's head and body are a gold or bronze toned metal key. The butterfly's 'head' is formed of three rounded pellets with three white toned dots, suggesting an ethereal glow. These are arranged triangularly, two pellets on the bottom one resting on top. This forms "head" of the butterfly, with two graceful antennae atop the head, but not quite anchored to the topmost pellet.

The shank of the key forms the 'body' of the butterfly.

At the bottom of the shank, there are two small, short teeth to the key, equal length, facing left.

The butterfly has four wings, patterned dark and light patches like a swallowtailed butterfuly.

The top wings have two eye shaped lozenges with the letters F and D inside. The lozenges are shaped a little bit like old fashioned 'butterfly framed' eyeglasses.

The right hand lozenge is lighter coloreded, white inside, with the letter "F" in dark font.

The left hand lozenge is a darker grey tone, black inside, with the letter "D" in white.

The three gold colored pellets each with a white dot at center are in the middle of the two lozenges, like the bridge on a pair of eyeglasses, suggesting symbolically, the quantity 'three' or '3'.

This, added to the shank of the key suggests an old fashioned lorgnette--a pair of spectacles upon a stick, held up.

I found that viewing this graphic required an effort and (this may just be me), soon made me feel tired. Those of us who learn to read English and similar languages, learn at an early age, to read by scanning left-to right.

The leftward pointing teeth of the key hampered me in this, giving a cue to look left, while the letters in the graphic are to be read left-to-right, with an added impetus to 'fill in the gap' by using the three glowing nodules to add the 'Three' to the design and get the full name.

I found this image to be annoying gimmicky and tiring to my eyes. Others perhaps might find it marvellously enigmatic.

To commit a very bad pun, I found this graphic neurologically and intellectually hard to 'swallow'.

If one can no longer find this FD3 swallowtail butterfly image online, this verbal discription must suffice--perhaps someone who has access to old printed material will find this familiar and offer assistance.

If you do a google search for FD3.me it comes up with the Cult Education Forum right below. When you try to go to the FD3.me site nothing comes up just a white page.

Google search for www.telldreams.com brings up a page under construction. In addition on this page you can see the butterfly logo so well described by Corboy above. The Cult Education Forum site comes up right below as well.

Searching for www.Green2Gold.org brings up FD3's Green2Gold. Information about the Fall Harvest Techbrew Multidimentional Mega Mixer and The Great Rescue Mother World Festivals can be found in addition to the Green2Gold information. The Cult Education Forum site does not show up on this search.

A seach for www.techbrewmegamixers.org brings up the above information. No Cult Education Forum information comes up on this search as well.

Here are some recent photos taken of Kent Craig Carruso.

Kent Carruso is the leader of FD3 and the author of the so-called "FD3 Book".







Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2011 08:53PM by rrmoderator.

UPDATE

Kent Carruso, Lielle Arad and Alan Tratner have apparently launched some new Web sites.

The links to these new sites are as follows:

[www.green2gold.org]

[www.techbrewmegamixers.org]

[www.fd3.me]

The FD3 site has also been updated.

See [www.fd3.com]

There is also a proposal before the Lompoc City Council by regarding a "California Space Center" by "EEG" (Environmental Education Group). The president of EEG is Alan Tratner, who is supporter of FD3.

See [www1.cityoflompoc.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2012 09:28PM by rrmoderator.

Is it true that LinkedIn removes all negative comments made about members of LinkedIn? It doesn't offer truthful information?

Alan Tranter and Lielle Arad are in the news through nonprofit called "Environmental Education Group" (EEG) in Lompoc, California.

See [www.pacbiztimes.com]

See [www.lompocrecord.com]

See [www.lompocrecord.com]

See [www.lompocrecord.com]

Potential space center developer EEG under scrutiny

Nonprofit’s operating revenue has history of being in the red

Lompoc Record, California/April 14, 2013

By Carol Benham

Days before the Lompoc City Council is scheduled to extend exclusive negotiations with the nonprofit hoping to develop the California Space Enterprise Center on city-owned land, new disclosures about the organization and its finances threaten to send the project off trajectory.

The public disclosure of the details of a federal court’s default judgment awarded more than a year ago against Alan Tratner, president of Environmental Education Group (EEG), the proposed space center developer, is forcing the city to take a closer look at the nonprofit it has been negotiating with for 18 months.

Additionally, a review of EEG’s tax filings reveal that the nonprofit had $113,590 in operating revenue for the 2010-11 fiscal year, ending with a negative balance of $1,266, adding to questions about EEG and its ability to develop a $220 million space center project.

In 2009-10, EEG had operating revenue of $69,106 with a year-end balance of $3,194, and it ended fiscal year 2008-09 with a negative balance of $1,326, according to the nonprofit’s public IRS records.

Now, questions are being asked about why the city apparently failed to scrutinize the Santa Barbara-based nonprofit that it stands ready to give 96 acres of city-owned land near Hancock College’s Lompoc Valley Center and Ken Adam Park. Negotiations with EEG and the city began in October 2011.

The $21,000 default judgment was awarded to plaintiff Mark Sanders, a Sherman Oaks inventor, on March 2, 2012, after Tratner failed to appear at numerous U.S. District Court hearings in Los Angeles. Sanders originally filed the civil suit in 2010 under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act.

The lawsuit alleges that Tratner took ideas submitted by members of the nonprofit Inventors Workshop International (IWI) headed by Tratner and “engaged in a pattern to acquire by fraud, patents and inventions of the members … and appropriate all claims and rights for himself.”

The 29-page lawsuit also alleges that “Tratner hid behind and continues to shield himself … behind nonprofit corporations and fronts that were either not constructed as represented, or were bogus at time of the assertions.”

Public records show that IWI, the nonprofit named in the suit, was established in 1971 but has been defunct for several years. A related nonprofit, also headed by Tratner, called Inventors Workshop International Education Foundation (IWIEF), was suspended by the State of California for failure to file required legal documents.

Both entities claim to help inventors bring their ideas to market and “to commercialize there (sic) great ideas.”

Sanders said he brought suit after years of trying, and failing, to get information from Tratner about work performed on his and other IWI members’ behalf.

“He keeps everything a secret. He sells vagueness,” Sanders said in a phone interview. “They (IWI) want money and they don’t help the inventor. Very few people are making money except for him.”

EEG’s response

Lielle Arad, EEG spokeswoman with the title of global director of public affairs, said in an email that the Sanders lawsuit contained “many false claims and misrepresentations. Alan Tratner is currently, with legal counsel, taking legal action against Mr. Sanders and is working to have the judgment set aside.”

Arad said that Sanders was suspended from IWI membership for “disrupting inventor chapter meetings, and had to be suspended from membership for breaching the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).”

Tratner did not attend court hearings, she said, because he believed “the new civil case would … be dismissed because of many defects.”

She also acknowledged that neither IWI nor IWIEF is currently registered as a nonprofit, but said attempts are underway to revive both. Arad noted that neither IWI nor IWIEF are a legal part of EEG, although Tratner serves as president of both.

EEG has contracted with a new accounting firm, she said, and has filed for an

extension on its tax forms for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.

Arad, one of three members of EEG’s Board of Directors, the legal entity that would own the proposed California Space Enterprise Center (CSEC) if built, said the nonprofit submitted a contractual agreement to Santa Barbara developer Guy Gniadek to meet Lompoc’s requirement that a qualified developer be on board by April 8.

What happens next?

On Tuesday, the council will consider revisions prepared by city staff to the existing Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with EEG that is set to expire May 30, including a six-month extension through November.

EEG is also expected to submit revisions to the development phases for the project, a critical factor in the city’s ability to mandate what must be built in exchange for giving away city land.

In February, the city set a June 1 deadline for EEG to demonstrate “proof of

$59 million in equity and grant funding for partial financing” of the first two phases of the space center project.

Arad said the organization has “compiled letters of intent and commitment from a variety of financing sources to fund the CSEC and its phases,” and will meet the June 1 deadline.

But with the disclosure of the judgment against Tratner and the state of the nonprofit’s tax returns, council members are now paying closer attention to the nonprofit itself.

"There’s been some new developments with the people trying to put this together,” Councilman Dirk Starbuck said of Tratner and EEG. “I think the council needs to discuss it.”

Councilwoman Ashley Costa — who has twice voted against signing an agreement with EEG — is more candid with her ongoing concerns about the nonprofit and its capacity to develop the $220 million space complex.

"I think EEG has created a labyrinth of entities that is difficult for anyone to navigate,” Costa said. “Until it is clear what the legal and financial issues are, I am not comfortable giving this organization a vote of confidence in what they are attempting to bring forward.”

Mayor John Linn, who has served as a strong supporter of EEG since 2011, said he had no comment on the lawsuit and default judgment “until I find out what the true nature of the case is. It’s surely worth reading and understanding,” he said.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2013 11:54PM by rrmoderator.

City checks into EEG’s background lacked depth, some say

Lompoc Record, California/April 14, 2013

By Carol Benham

The recent disclosure of a federal court’s default judgment against Environmental Education Group President Alan Tratner more than a year ago, has raised questions about the extent of the city’s examination of the credentials, background and track record of the nonprofit it has negotiated with for 18 months to build the California Space Enterprise Center.

Tratner and EEG first appeared in Lompoc City Council chambers Oct. 18, 2011, with a request to take over development of the space center proposed for 96 acres of city land after the California Space Authority closed its doors in June 2011, more than a decade after trying, and failing, to build a $220 million space museum, amphitheater, launch viewing area, conference center and office complex.

Tratner and EEG were brought to the city by Mayor John Linn, who had continued meeting with organizations involved in Space Authority efforts, in an effort to resurrect the failed attempt to develop a space center complex on acreage near Hancock College’s Lompoc Valley Center.

Though little was known or made available about the Santa Barbara-based nonprofit at the Oct. 18 meeting, Linn asked the council to approve entering an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with EEG, arguing that no other entity had come forward to pursue the development.

During the meeting, Tratner described the 40-year-old nonprofit and its plans to add “private space entrepreneurial aspects not envisioned by the California Space Authority,” including EEG’s “Green2Gold incubators.”

“We’re experts at putting on expert fundraisers and promotional events and festivals in ways to bring the community into awareness, to get excited about a project and donate to us,” Tratner said.

Councilwomen Cecilia Martner and Ashley Costa objected to entering into an agreement, however, citing the lack of information about the organization and its credentials, experience and finances.

“The city staff needs to do some due diligence on any organization that comes in front of us,” Martner said, adding that voting to enter into an ENA without conducting a background check was “unprofessional.”

Martner’s and Costa’s suggestion that the city issue a Request for Proposal on the project — which would have required applicants to present qualifications, financial information and legal structure — failed to win support.

Councilmen Bob Lingl and Dirk Starbuck joined Linn to approve entering into an agreement with EEG. Costa and Martner voted no.

But the 3-2 vote included the stipulation that city staff conduct due diligence on EEG and return with a report to be presented in public session within 30 days, or prior to the review of an ENA. That public presentation of the staff’s review of EEG never occurred.

Instead, five months later, in March 2012, city staff asked an ad hoc group of Economic Development Committee (EDC) members to review EEG’s credentials for a report to the city council.

EDC Vice Chair Jenelle Osborne said the ad hoc group was asked to review materials provided by EEG — a 60-page document about the nonprofit’s history, accomplishments and principals — and was provided a Form 990 tax filing for EEG that was more than three years old.

“I don’t know that we were tasked with actually vetting this organization. We were asked to review the information and see if we thought it was a good idea to enter into an ENA,” Osborne said. “We told city staff there isn’t enough information here to make a decision.”

Unbeknownst to the city and EDC members, the default judgment in federal court had already been awarded March 2.

At the next full EDC meeting May 2, 2012, Linn and Tratner presented EEG’s plans and asked the committee to recommend an ENA. The committee agreed, voting unanimously to recommend a 90-day agreement with EEG, though a one-page summary of its review included a note that EEG had no development experience, was “not responsive to all criteria” and the committee had “too little information for a project this size.”

“I felt the committee was being asked to help the council because it really wanted an ENA,” Osborne said in a phone interview. She said the committee recommended a 90-day ENA and expected a more thorough scrutiny of EEG would occur during that time.

On May 29, however, Linn pushed for a one-year ENA — not the 90 days recommended by the committee — and was again joined by Lingl and Starbuck. Costa argued for a compromise 180-day ENA and again voiced concern about the lack of information available. Her motion failed to receive any support and the one-year ENA was approved by a 3-1 vote with Costa voting no, and Martner absent.

Now, Osborne said she regrets voting to recommend an ENA.

“I think it’s a case where people wanted this to happen so much, they put blinders on,” Osborne said. “We’re getting a song and dance being handed documents that don’t actually have any substance.”

On Feb. 5, when the city’s consultant, Keyser Marston Associates, presented its financial analysis of EEG’s business plan and recommended EEG be required to demonstrate proof of $59 million in funding before city land was handed over, EDC Chair Steve Pepe supported the consultant’s recommendation.

He urged the city “to be cautious and make sure we are protecting our assets” by not relying on unverified “promises and expectations.”

EEG is required to submit proof of financing to the city by June 1.

Osborne also said she attended the well-advertised but sparsely-attended TechBrew MegaMixer held by EEG at the Chumash Casino in January to promote the space center, and it was disappointing and frustrating, turning into more of a concert than a tech mixer to bring together space industry entrepreneurs and investors on behalf of the space center.

“All it does is bring concerns to mind as to the ability for such a large project to be executed by a group who hasn’t been able to show it on a smaller scale,” Osborne told council members.

In a phone interview last week, Linn said he was satisfied with the city's investigation of EEG’s resources and background, and believes the nonprofit has a greater chance of succeeding with the space center based on its progress to date.

Lingl, however, said based on recent news reports he is not satisfied, and said he was not aware of the lawsuit, nor tax records showing a negative balance for the nonprofit.

“If a reporter can find out information, so can the city,”Lingl said. “But my intention this whole time was to continue to gather information. I never intended to turn over land until we had a lot more information.”

City cuts ties to EEG

Space Center developer’s missed milestones scuttle agreement

Lompoc Record, California/April 18, 2013

By Carol Benham

Lompoc City Council members voted Tuesday to terminate their 18-month exclusive negotiations with the nonprofit proposing to build an ambitious $220 million space center complex on 96 acres of city land.

Citing missed deadlines and the failure of the Santa Barbara-based nonprofit, Environmental Education Group (EEG), to provide proof of funding for the project prior to transferring ownership of city land, the council voted to give EEG a 15-day notice of termination based on nonperformance of the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA).

The 5-0 vote included direction to staff to issue a formal Request for Proposal, a step not taken before the ENA was signed with EEG in May 2012.

Council members Ashley Costa and Dirk Starbuck questioned why a staff scrutiny of EEG’s credentials and track record requested by council in October 2011 was never presented in a public session.

Teresa Gallavan, assistant city administrator, said she asked an ad hoc group of the city’s Economic Development Committee to review EEG’s credentials and experience and the review was scheduled to be presented March 20, 2012. Mayor John Linn pulled the item from the meeting agenda and it was never rescheduled.

Costa — who has twice voted against the ENA — said a more extensive background check was needed for an organization proposing to develop a project as large as the space center complex.

“We’ve been working with this organization for 18 months,” Costa said. “We continue to get information from anonymous sources and local media, more than we got from our own due diligence.”

Recent news reports disclosed that EEG had a negative balance for two of its last three years according to IRS records. Additionally, a federal district court awarded a $21,000 default judgment against EEG President Alan Tratner for work he performed as president of Inventors Workshop International, a nonprofit the state says is dissolved.

Starbuck said he didn’t understand why “our due diligence was pawned off to an ad hoc group” and the council was never informed about their reservations. “What they reported was never given to us.”

Lielle Arad, EEG spokeswoman, suggested that concerns about EEG were “a diversion … from a group of people that are against development in Lompoc.”

Many local residents spoke against continuing with EEG and questioned the nonprofit’s ability to succeed when other organizations with greater resources have failed.

“We are all very eager and desperate to have a space complex to help our economy,” said resident Joy Browder. “But we can’t allow ourselves to fall victim to risky gambles or a lack of good fiduciary judgment because of our eagerness and desperation.”

“I’m very confused why this council tries so hard to do this with somebody who has not been able to give you the guarantees that you need,” resident Terry Hammons said.

Jenelle Osborne, EDC vice-chair and member of the ad hoc group that recommended a 90-day ENA, said the group tried to give the council feedback.

“EEG has not met the performance milestones on an ongoing basis,” Osborne said. “They haven’t met any of those issues that we keep bringing forward.”

EDC Chair Steve Pepe said the committee no longer supports proceeding with the project and that EEG would not meet the qualifications of an RFP.

"Nothing has changed, you don’t even have a contract with a developer,” he said. “You’ve spent far more time and effort on this than you should have.”

Other residents questioned why the council continued working exclusively with EEG after it missed deadlines and failed to provide information, comparing it to red flags ignored by past councils about Lompoc Housing and Community Development Corporation (LHCDC).

Councilman DeWayne Holmdahl, who was not on the council when EEG negotiations began, also likened the situation to LHCDC and past councils’ support. “Looking back, it did not pay off. I cannot support (continuing with EEG).”

The vote to terminate was a setback for Linn who has been EEG’s chief supporter since negotiations began in October 2011. Linn opened the council discussion by suggesting the issue was a simple question of whether the council wanted the space center to be built.

“Unless your answer has changed, we need to find a way to go forward,” he said. “I am not in favor of quitting.”

Linn attempted to discuss language for a revised and extended ENA with EEG, but was stopped at one point by city attorney Joe Pannone, who said details of a revised agreement should not be negotiated from the council dais.

But Councilman Bob Lingl moved to terminate the ENA. “We gave you the ENA. We extended the ENA, and we still have no commitments,” Lingl said.

Linn voted for the motion to terminate, saying he could support it only because EEG could respond to the RFP in the future.

“I think we’re going to be back here talking to them again, if they choose to come back,” he said.