As one of the lead attorneys on Earthjustice's court case to protect the North Atlantic right whales, I want to underscore the urgency of the situation facing these critically endangered creatures.
If the Navy moves forward on its scientifically flawed plan to build a warfare training range next to the whales' only known calving grounds, the whales could soon be extinct.
We have an opportunity to help the Navy make the right decision and enact a plan that can help protect our nation ... without sacrificing the wildlife that help make this country so special.
I hope you'll take a moment to read Trip's message below about our case and give what you can to help us protect the right whales. Steve Roady
Attorney, Washington, D.C., Office
Earthjustice
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Endangered right whales in peril
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Dear Roger, Since I last wrote about the plight of the critically endangered right whales, Earthjustice attorneys are in federal court to challenge a government plan that could spell disaster for the whales ... but we need your support to see us through this court case. The U.S. Navy plans to build an Undersea Warfare Training Range next to the only known right whale calving grounds in the world -- potentially pushing this critically endangered species over the brink toward extinction. Our attorneys have gone to court to ensure that the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Navy implement meaningful safeguards to protect right whales and other endangered species before beginning training, but their success depends on your support. The Navy's planned warfare training range would force the whales to run a deadly gauntlet of criss-crossing ships and submarines simply to reproduce. NOAA has consistently identified ship strikes as one of the gravest threats to the right whale, yet it is allowing the Navy to bring this threat directly into the critical calving habitat. Our legal team in Washington, D.C. -- representing several environmental organizations, including the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Animal Welfare Institute, and the Ocean Mammal Institute, free of charge -- is leading the court battle to protect these majestic creatures. In times of need, these groups turn to us ... and so we turn to you. With fewer than 400 right whales remaining, these majestic creatures already face enough challenges to their survival. In fact, the National Marine Fisheries Service has said that the "loss of even a single individual right whale may contribute to the extinction of the species." With your help, we will use the power of the courts to ensure that the Navy plans adhere to the science and the law, and enact meaningful safeguards to protect this critically endangered species. Thank you for all that you do to stand up for wildlife. Sincerely, Trip Van Noppen
President, Earthjustice |
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