Polar Bears Artic Deepwater Offshore Drilling Chukchi Sea

 

A Big Win for America's Threatened Polar Bears A six-month ban on exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea is expected to put Shell Oil's plans to drill in key polar bear habitat on hold… thanks to Defenders supporters like you who sent more than 118,000 messages! More Information Read our press statement Get the latest news about the Gulf oil disaster and offshore drilling on our blog Dear Andrew, I have some fantastic news about our threatened polar bears! In the wake of the largest oil spill in U.S. history, President Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today took an important step toward preventing the next offshore oil disaster – one that could jeapordize the survival of America's already fragile polar bear population. Around noon Eastern Time, the president announced a moratorium on deepwater offshore drilling in the Chukchi Sea – offering these majestic Arctic hunters a much-needed reprieve from Shell Oil's dangerous drilling scheme in key polar bear habitat. Over the last few weeks, caring Defenders supporters like you sent more than 118,000 messages to President Obama, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke (who oversees the National Marine Fisheries Service). Today, your hard work paid off, as President Obama and Interior Secretary Salazar acknowledged the very serious threat that drilling activities pose to the sensitive ecosystems that sustain the Chukchi's polar bears, bowhead whales and other wildlife. Defenders' senior marine policy advisor Richard Charter put it best in a statement to the press earlier today: "President Obama and Interior Secretary Salazar should be commended for suspending Shell's plans to drill in the Arctic Ocean this summer. The Arctic environment absolutely could not stand an oil spill like the one we're now seeing in the Gulf of Mexico -- any spill, in fact, would have devastating effects on Arctic wildlife, and it's clear that we couldn't clean it up. Please read our statement and learn more about this important victory for polar bears. Today's announcement by the Obama administration is a HUGE victory in our fight to prevent the next offshore oil disaster, but make no mistake: our fight is from over. Defenders of Wildlife will continue to push for a broader, more permanent ban on dangerous offshore drilling activities that threaten our wildlife. We will continue our on-the-ground work to save the lives of sea turtles and other wildlife threatened by the Gulf offshore oil disaster. And we will keep fighting to ensure accountability in government agencies charged with overseeing drilling permits and hold BP accountable for the catastrophic ecological damage that their negligence has caused in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond. There will be plenty of work to do to protect and restore our natural treasures in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. But, for the moment, please accept my sincere thanks for taking the time to make a difference for our polar bears. For the Wild Ones, Jamie Rappaport Clark Executive Vice President Defenders of Wildlife P.S. For the latest news and updates on our work to protect sea turtles, polar bears, whales and other wildlife threatened by Big Oil's plans to industrialize our coasts, please follow our offshore drilling blog online at http://www.defendersblog.org. You'll find great videos of our work on the ground, expert analysis and easy-to-understand information on the impact of offshore drilling activities on our wildlife.

© Copyright 2010, Defenders of Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities.

Defenders of Wildlife can be contacted at:
1130 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Protect Florida beaches from offshore oil drilling constitutional amendment ban

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From: Alex Sink

 

http://action.alexsink2010.com/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=15&tag=drillingban_petition_email

Yesterday, I took my third trip to Florida's Panhandle this week.  And as I spoke with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and local business leaders, I told them what I've been seeing and hearing from Floridians since the news of the oil spill began -- that we are worried about the threat to our economy, to many Floridians' livelihoods, to our way of life.

And like nearly every conversation I've had as we watch the oil move towards Florida beaches, this one also ended with the same resolve:

We cannot risk having another accident like this anywhere near Florida's beaches.

That's why I'm working for a constitutional amendment banning drilling off of our coast. It's the only way this will never happen again.

Click here to add your voice in support of a constitutional amendment banning drilling in Florida state waters.

I'm working around the clock to ensure Floridians impacted by this disaster are receiving the help they need -- and we still don't know just how bad things are going to get. I've also taken BP to task for their lack of responsiveness and helped cut some of the red-tape our coastal communities are facing.

But one thing is perfectly clear: Drilling near our beaches is not worth the risk to our businesses and our livelihoods.

I know you agree.

Join me in safeguarding our beautiful state, our coastline, and our economy for future generations: Support our call for a constitutional amendment to ban drilling.

I will continue to fight to make sure BP is held accountable, and that they take responsibility for the costs of this disastrous oil spill.

But while we're working hard to clean up this mess, we have to do everything we can to prevent the next disaster. We must work together to ban oil drilling off Florida's beaches now.

Time, as they say, is a-wasting.

Thank you for helping me protect Florida's economy and our future.
Sincerely,

Alex Sink

P.S. To find out what you can do to help, and for up-to-date information, visit www.AlexSink2010.com.

 

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Fw: Oil Spill Alert: Help Guide Clean Up Volunteers to Protect Birds

From: DRAPER, Eric
 
Oil Spill Alert: Help Guide Clean Up Volunteers to Protect Birds
 
Dear friends,
 
First let me thank everyone who has forwarded Safe Tips for Cleaning Litter off Beaches.  We have had numerous press responses and the word is getting out to leaders of volunteer efforts to clean up our beaches. 
 
If you have experience as a beach bird steward, we need your help. We just heard from the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, at www.mobilebaynep.com, that they could use volunteers to help with beach debris cleanup.
 
Their clean up is scheduled for today at 3 p.m. Central Time. 
 
The Estuary Program particularly wants Audubon volunteers who can help guide other clean up volunteers to avoid impacting shorebirds and shorebird habitats.

We are advised that the volunteers have our guidance but may not follow it to the letter.
 
This is not oil spill clean up and you are not required to have Hazardous Materials Training. 
 
If you are experienced, live within range, and can help, please report to one of the command post locations at 3 p.m. in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
 
Dolphin Island - Cadillac Square ½ mile east of water tower
 
Fire Station #1 near mile marker 12 west of entrance Bonsecsor
http://www.fws.gov/bonsecour/directions.html NWF on Highway 180. http://www.fws.gov/bonsecour/directions.html
 
Gulf Shores Public Beach Parking Lot on west side of lot
 
Cotton Bayou Public Beach 1/8 mile east of intersection of highway 182 and 161
 
We realize this is short notice but we just heard from estuary staff members, who were responding to our guidance about avoiding impacts to beach nesting birds.
 
If you do decide to participate in the debris clean up, please take your camera along and share your images and observations with us by sending them to flconservation@audubon.org
 
For your information, please follow these approaches and urge other volunteers to follow these tips:
 
Safe Tips for Cleaning Litter off Beaches:
 
For those who want to clean litter from the beaches in anticipation of oil coming ashore, Audubon recommends the following:
 
Use approved access points and avoid walking or hiking through marshes or seagrass beds.
 
Stay below the tidal line.
 
Leave natural debris in place because it provides nesting benefits to shorebirds and other wildlife.
 
Only remove man-made litter.
 
Do not place litter in the dunes or above the high water line.
 
Avoid use equipment such as rakes, shovels or tractors.
 
Do not bring ATVs or other motorized vehicles onto the beach.
 
Do not bring dogs onto the beach (dogs are a primary source of beach bird disturbance and mortality.) 
 
Thank You
 
Eric Draper, Executive Director
Audubon of Florida - edraper@audubon.org

Massachusetts Emergency Water Break - Boil Water

From: Sheila Decter

Emergency Water Main Break Affecting all
Massachusetts Communities East of Weston

A major water emergency has been declared for all communities east of route 128.  There has been a break in the MWRA system.  Thousands of gallons of water are flowing into the Charles River.  In order to keep up the pressure, water will now be used from a variety of other sources, such as the Sudbury Aqueduct, Chestnut Hill Reservoir and Spot Pond Reservoir.   Those sources are not treated for use as drinking water.  Therefore, all water to be used for drinking needs to be actively boiled for at least one minute.
 
The following communities are affected by the Boil Water Order 

Arlington 
Bedford
Belmont
Boston
Brookline
Canton
Chelsea
Dedham
Everett
Lexington
Lynnfield Water District
Malden
Marblehead
Marlborough
Medford
Melrose
Milton
Nahant
Newton
Norwood
Peabody
Quincy
Reading
Revere
Saugus
Somerville
Stoneham
Stoughton
Swampscott
Wakefield
Waltham
Watertown
Weston
Westwood
Wilmington
Winchester
Winthrop
Woburn

If you have ways to alert any communities, especially elder groups or communities including people with immune issues, please do so.