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Help Prevent Oil Spills In Alaska’s Coastal Waters!
Target: Members of CongressSponsored by: Alaska Oceans Program
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An oil-soaked sea otter in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge |
Once again, AlaskaÂ’s pristine waters have fallen victim to a devastating oil spill. On December 8, 2004, a Malaysian freighter, Selendang Ayu, ran aground in the Aleutian Islands after its engine failed in severe weather. Six humans were lost and at least 40,000 gallons of oil leaked into one of the worldÂ’s most remote and ecologically rich wildlife refuges, the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. This was the worst oil spill in U.S. waters since the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster.
The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is home to a wide array of sea birds and marine mammals, and is part of the rich North Pacific fishery, which generates nearly $2 billion in revenue each year. Based on the legacy of the Exxon spill, we know this disaster will have a lasting impact on endangered marine species.
What’s clear from the tragedy in the Aleutians, is that Alaska’s shipping routes need stronger regulations in place. The Selendang Ayu was traveling one of the world’s most heavily trafficked routes – and ran aground in an area so remote that it was nearly impossible to rescue human victims in a timely manner and limit damage to threatened marine life.
Call upon Congress to require ships using Alaskan routes to meet minimum safety standards, and operate with well-trained crews and adequate resources to respond quickly to emergencies. Alaskan waters deserve at least these basic protections!
Sign Petition! see who signed this
We signed the “Help Prevent Oil Spills In Alaska’s Coastal Waters!” petition!
# 50:
# 49:
LETS NOT DESTROY ONE OF OUR LAST GREAT WILDERNESS
# 48:
# 47:
THE ENVIRONMENT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOT ONLY IN ALASKA,BUT EVERYONE ELSE ON THIS EARTH!! - PROTECT IT NOW!!
# 46:
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# 44:
Make double hulled tankers mandatory, how long is it going to take?
# 43:
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# 41:
Compared to other coastal areas in the US and internationally, Alaska's oceans are some of the few waters that are still in a pristine state. We need to learn from the human mistakes made in the past to save Alaska's wild oceans for future generations.
# 40:
It is extremely important to protect our natural resources, and Alaska's coastal waters are one of them.
# 39:
some things need to stay pristine we cant wreak havoc everywhere we go
# 38:
Any ship traffic through a wildlife refuge should be held to the highest standards, as should all preparations for spils and accidents.
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# 35:
I feel that it is important to protect the wildlife in the Alaskan area as well as the entire nation. If this generation does nothing to preserve the wildlife we enjoy now, the future generations will only read about it in books.
# 34:
# 33:
Ultimately the US economy will always depend on the strenght of our natural resources, especially as they grow more scarce around the world. Protecting coastal waters with proven preventative measures makes more economic sense than trying to solve problems after they occur- the ocean is not an aquarium that you can restock from your local pet store if you kill off all your fish.
# 32:
I do not mean to sound flip, but if I have to tell Congress why it is important to save Alaska's coastal waters, we are in trouble!
# 31:
because generationa to come deserve to have it...see it
# 30:
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# 27:
If they don't know, I can't tell them.
# 26:
Save our waters!
# 25:
Save our waters!
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# 19:
Send the Coast Guard there.
# 18:
Regulating the heavily travelled waters off of Alaska would save both human life and the environment. But such regulations would also be a long-term investment in economics of the region; it is far easier and more cost-effective to prevent accidents than to clean up after them.
# 17:
Oil spills damage the environment, and poses a threat to the oceanic wildlife that lives within the sea. Hence it is vital to prevent more of such incidents to occur. =)
# 16:
# 15:
Please protect our waters! Save them for the future generations. Don't leave a legacy of destruction.
# 14:
If its not protected, all Americans are likely to loose the precious sea life that lives near the shore forever. The only way to prevent spills is to make it hurt corporations very much in the pockbooks. One spill like the Exxon Valdez should cost the corporation $$ tens of millions in fines and the prohibition of ever running another oil tanker in the same waters again.
# 13:
we don't need to polute our oceans any more that it is already. I would hate to be the one who has to clean up the mess left by oil tankers!!
# 12:
Alaska is one of the more remote places and therefore harder for humans to live there and kill the entire area - plants and animals. Also the remoteness makes rescue and rehabilitation difficult to organise for both humans and animals plus the environment in times of disaster. Why boats/ships that are not seaworthy are allowed to continue to ply their trade is beyond me. Perhaps different shipping routes are required? Perhaps greater checks on boats/ships? I am horrified again and again at the attitude of humans to their own actions.
# 11:
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# 9:
It is important to protect Alaska and our nation's waters because there is only a limited amount of natural resources. Please protect Alaska's coastlines!
# 8:
Alaska's fishery resources are too critical to our economy, cultures, and marine ecosystems to jeopardize with inadequately regulated shipping activities. Numerous marine mammals are already listed on the threatened or endangered species list. We deserve better protection and response, for current and future generations.
# 7:
This oil spill will have devastating impacts on the already endangered population of sea otters int he Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge.
# 6:
the world's ecosystem has been going downhill without attention for a long time. The environment needs protection and the United States should be doing its part in making sure the environment is not damaged anymore by something that could have been prevented.
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# 3:
Alaska's waters are fisheries are critical and fragile. Wildlife and humans both are threatened when oil spills occur, and the impact of oil spills on Alaska's ocean ecosystem is devastating. Please take all necessary steps to prevent future oil spills.
# 2:
# 1:
Alaska's oceans must be managed in a way that balances the interests of humans and wildlife.