www.saverightwhales.com

The North Atlantic Right Whale is in danger of becoming extinct.  The waters off St. Mary's, Georgia, across the Intra-coastal Waterway from Cumberland Island National Seashore, are one of the few places that these endangered whales migrate each winter to birth their calves. 

Cumberland Harbour development is trying to obtain permits to build an enormous marina complex, approximately 17, 500 linear feet (3.5 miles!) of docking, on the coast of St. Mary's, Georgia.  IT would bring approximately 800 additional boats to the already crowded waters that these whales use.  Several collisions have been reported in the past several years.

Researchers believe that as few as 300 to 350 of these rare whales still exist and that the death of even one whale could lead to their extinction.  The #1 killer of these peaceful giants is collisions with large boats.

Another scary reality of the marinas is the effects they will have on Cumberland Island, an incredible, federally protected, wildlife sanctuary is across the Intra-coastal Waterway from Cumberland Harbour.  The extremely fragile ecosystem that thrives there does so because of the limited human impact to it.  The drastic increase in fuel emissions, trespassing, and storm-water runoff (to name a few) will all have major impact on the now stable, yet extremely sensitive environment there.

Other wildlife species that will be directly affected include West Indian manatees,  sea turtles, Gopher tortoises, many bird species like the piping plover and wood stork, and the endangered East Indigo snakes.  Both their habitats and species survival will be threatened.

You can read more about this very serious issue by clicking on the links below, or at the website www.saverightwhales.com:
~ THE STRAIGHT UP FACTS ABOUT THE CUMBERLAND HARBOUR MARINAS:
http://www.southernenvironment.org/cases/cumberland_harbour/factsheet.pdf

~ARTICLE FROM THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS:
http://www.southernenvironment.org/cases/cumberland_harbour/svm_3-11-05.htm

~ My letter to the Editor of the Tribune-Georgian newspaper in St. Mary's GA: http://www.tribune-georgian.com/articles/2008/07/25/opinion/letters/2letter7.25.txt

~ ARTICLE FROM THE COASTAL COURIER:
http://www.coastalcourier.com/news/archive/7169/

~ DETAILS ABOUT THE COURT CASE:
http://www.southernenvironment.org/cases/cumberland_harbour/index.htm

~ MAP OF CUMBERLAND HARBOUR:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=115 Osborne Street, St Marys, GA 31558&ie=UTF8&ll=30.754818,-81.526108&spn=0.129817,0.21286&z=12




 
 

We the undersigned respectfully ask that building permits for the proposed marinas at Cumberland Harbour be denied.   Many protected and endangered species, in particular the North Atlantic right whale, inhabit the waters and marshland in this immediate area.  The impact of these marinas will be devastating to the area and to the wildlife that resides there.

The location of these proposed marinas are less than two miles from one of the only places in the world that North Atlantic right whales migrate to to birth their calves.  Boat strikes are the number one killer of right whales.  Should the marina construction be approved, it will most certainly be the demise of the right whale species and cause irreparable harm to one of the most unique and special places in the world, Cumberland Isand.

Federally protected Cumberland Island National Seashore is directly across the Intra-coastal Waterway from this development.  The extremely fragile ecosystem that thrives there does so because of the highly monitored and restricted impact by caused by humans.  The drastic increase in boat fuel emissions, trespassing and storm-water runoff will cause serious, irreparable harm to the unique environment there. 

Despite claims made by Land Resource and Point Peter that they are "environmentally friendly," their only concern is for their lost revenue and potential lawsuits from property owners who were promised a marina.

The world can live without another marina.  Please consider that "gone forever" means exactly that and make the right decision.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to those who speak up for those whom cannot.