A population of orca whales that spend several months of the summer and fall each year in Washington State's Puget Sound, was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2005.
Now, the corporate-backed Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a dangerous petition to de-list the whales on behalf of farmers who want water from the Sacramento River. This water is off limits because it holds endangered Chinook salmon, who the southern orcas depend upon for their survival.
Additionally, Washington State's plans for building coal export terminals, and shipping 100 millions tons of coal annually, threatens to push the Northwest's orca whales to the brink of extinction. Running coal-filled trains along the Columbia River and Puget Sound would pollute the water on which the ocras rely on with mercury and other heavy metals, toxic coal dust, and diesel emmissions.
There is enough sound science to indicate the Orca Whales need the protection of the Endangered Species act now more than ever. Do not de-list them for corporate interests and having this animal go extinct in favor of profits.
SOURCE: http://aldf.org/article.php?id=2289
A population of orca whales that spend several months of the summer and fall each year in Washington State's Puget Sound, was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2005.
Now, the corporate-backed Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a dangerous petition to de-list the whales on behalf of farmers who want water from the Sacramento River. This water is off limits because it holds endangered Chinook salmon, who the southern orcas depend upon for their survival.
Additionally, Washington State's plans for building coal export terminals, and shipping 100 millions tons of coal annually, threatens to push the Northwest's orca whales to the brink of extinction. Running coal-filled trains along the Columbia River and Puget Sound would pollute the water on which the ocras rely on with mercury and other heavy metals, toxic coal dust, and diesel emmissions.
There is enough sound science to indicate the Orca Whales need the protection of the Endangered Species act now more than ever. Do not de-list them for corporate interests and having this animal go extinct in favor of profits.
