CALL TO ACTION: Public Comments to Save Mexican Gray Wolves

Public comments due August 29, 2017 at 11:59PM EDT. Electronic comments submitted HERE. Please compose your comment somewhere that it can be saved in the event of an issue with the electronic comment page.

WHAT TO SAY:

• There are fewer than 150 Mexican wolves in the wild and only 250 in captivity. 
• Mexican wolf populations in the United States and Mexico are isolated. The lack of connectivity and the low numbers of each isolated population (which should number at least 200 individuals with a total of 750 wolves) threatens the species with extinction. 
• The proposed plan would turn over management of these rare wolves to state game boards. The last time states were in charge of lobos, the wolf population plummeted due to excessive trapping and shooting of Mexican wolves, authorized by state game boards.
• State game boards are comprised of political appointees who usually do not have a background in science or conservation. Rather, these appointees usually come from ranching or hunting background. 
• USFWS and not state game boards should be in charge of whether and when to release Mexican wolves from captivity to boost the genetic viability of the population.
• There should be a plan to discourage conflicts with livestock and lobos and provide education to promote tolerance of the animals within their habitat. To achieve such social tolerance, there needs to be a commitment to funding non-lethal deterrents and work on a holistic plan with local livestock operations to reduce conflict between wolves and livestock and yet maintain a healthy wolf population. Further, lethal control cannot be a solution. If it is, livestock operators will likely never embrace tolerance and use of non-lethal methods. 

PETITIONS (Please Sign and Share)

Endangered Species Coalition

EarthJustice

Defenders of Wildlife

TWEET SECRETARY ZINKE AND DEPT OF INTERIOR:

Less than 150 Mexican wolves in wild, .@Interior! Keep protected by feds, not state game board #SaveMexicanWolves pic.twitter.com/FtiOWpR8h9

Only 150 Mexican wolves in wild, .@SecretaryZinke Americans want you to #SaveMexicanWolves; keep protected! pic.twitter.com/FtiOWpR8h9

Call To Action No Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling

PUBLIC COMMENTS DUE AUGUST 17, 2017

At the end of June, the Department of the Interior announced plans to develop a new five-year National Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

New potential areas for offshore drilling?  Atlantic, the Pacific, the Arctic

The current five-year plan was finalized just last year by the Obama administration and was the result of years of negotiations, environmental impact research and public comments. But the Trump administration has other plans for America's energy initiatives and announced their intentions when President Trump signed an executive order on April 28 requesting an offshore American energy strategy.

Public Comments period ends August 17^th.  This is the first step to the Trump administration being able to rework a new five-year offshore drilling program.

What are some of the risks of offshore drilling?

There are major environmental impacts throughout every phase of the offshore drilling process. That starts with seismic testing, which is looking for oil and gas reserves.

Oil and gas companies use these loud sound blast explosions that are really damaging to marine life to identify oil and gas deposits. That is likely to move forward off the Atlantic in the coming months.

A second type of impact is the industrialization of the shoreline. The infrastructure, the refineries and the pipeline can really change the character of a coastal community. Major impacts to water quality and air quality, and then, of course, oil spills.

For every major oil spill that gets headlines, you have hundreds of smaller spills that are under-reported and cause serious impact.

For people that visit the coast, those that surf, those that swim, all of this will affect you.

Public Comment:  https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=BOEM-2017-0050-0001
DUE AUGUST 17TH, 2017

Petitions:

Change     https://www.change.org/p/stop-shell-s-dangerous-offshore-drilling-exploration-in-the-arctic  

Alaska Wilderness League.  http://act.alaskawild.org/sign/5yrplan2017?akid=s41876..xhTU6u

Sierra Club -  https://sierra.secure.force.com/actions/National?actionId=AR0072678

Center for Biological Diversity  http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/o/2167/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=17696

http://p2a.co/ym1spTj

The Petition Site - http://www.thepetitionsite.com/891/791/272/for-earth-day-resist-trumps-offshore-oil-drilling-agenda/

EarthJustice - https://secure.earthjustice.org/site/Advocacy? cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1966

Defenders of Wildlife - https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3217

SurfRider  https://secured.surfrider.org/action/engagement? actionId=AR0010663&id=701i00000018YoU

League of Conservative Voters:    http://p2a.co/gZV5VAP

The Wilderness Society   http://p2a.co/0v3lCOV

Green Peace    https://engage.us.greenpeace.org/onlineactions/QKJS5VCmXEy_rkvFZv3YxQ2?&utm_source=website&utm_medium=savethearctic_page&utm_campaign=1502doi_eos&_ga=2.156044731.1282259439.1502727856-1176483455.1502727856

CALL TO ACTION: Demand Senators Vote NO on S1514

S1514 (also known as the Hunting Heritage and Environmental Legacy Preservation for Wildlife Act) would remove wolves permanently from the Endangered Species Act, precluding judicial review. Further, the bill would prohibit the EPA from regulating lead in fishing gear to help fish and other wildlife. The bill would also harm migratory birds and allow 41 trophy hunters to kill polar bears in the Arctic, despite their threatened status.

It is no surprise that this bill is backed by some of the Senate's most anti-wildlife members. Unfortunately, several Democrats have also supported the bill - either through co-sponsorship (Ben Cardin, Tammy Baldwin, Amy Klobuchar) or in committee (Tammy Duckworth, Tom Carper).

In exchange for these decidedly anti-environmental, anti-Democratic positions, the bill would also reauthorize several conservation wetlands programs -  "a procedural action by Congress that has no real-work impact of funding levels." Green groups describe this legislation as "a disaster" for wildlife and the environment.

Next up, this bill will go to the full Senate. Please make sure that your Senators know that you want them to vote NO on this bill.

PHONE CALLS: Please call your Senators and demand they vote NO on S1514. Phone numbers can be found HERE.

Constituents in Maryland, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Delaware, or Illinois: As your constituent, I am disappointed by your support of S1514 which would undermine the Endangered Species Act by legislatively delisting wolves and precluding judicial review. I expect you to vote NO on the Act when it comes to the Senate for a full vote.

Everyone else: Please vote NO on S1514 which undermines the Endangered Species Act and threatens our wildlife through lead poisoning.

EMAIL: Contact forms for your Senators are HERE. Write, in your own words, why you want him or her to vote NO on S1514 or copy and paste the following:

Please vote NO on S1514. I am extremely concerned that this bill would undermine the Endangered Species Act. It would legislatively remove protections for wolves in the Great Lakes and Wyoming, precluding judicial review. This would set a precedent of ignoring the best available science to suit the whims of politics. Further, the bill prohibits the EPA from addressing the impact of lead fishing gear on fish and other wildlife. Such a prohibition threatens our aquatic life and the birds - such as our national symbol, the bald eagle - that rely on these fish. Please vote NO on S1514 when the bill comes to the floor. 

RESISTBOT: Text 504-09 and type RESIST. The ResistBot will convert your texts to faxes or mailed letters to your Senators. Write your own message asking your Senator to vote NO on S1514 or copy and paste the message above.

TWITTER: 

.@SenatorCardin Pls withdraw sponsorship of #SB1514 - would kill wolves, poison rivers, undermine ESA! pic.twitter.com/ejcdJyi27V 💔🐺🐟

.@amyklobuchar S1514 threatens Endangered Species Act, bad for wildlife! Withdraw sponsorship now 🐟🐺 #NOonS1514 pic.twitter.com/ccMGJIZl8j

.@SenatorBaldwin S1514 threatens Endangered Species Act, bad for wildlife! Withdraw sponsorship now! #NOonS1514 pic.twitter.com/ccMGJIZl8j

.@SenatorCarper S1514 threatens Endangered Species Act, bad for wildlife! Vote #NOonS1514 in full Senate hearing! pic.twitter.com/ccMGJIZl8j

.@SenDuckworth S1514 threatens Endangered Species Act, bad for wildlife! Vote #NOonS1514 in full Senate hearing! pic.twitter.com/ccMGJIZl8j

Quote THIS TWEET and tag your Senators, asking them to VOTE NO ON S1514.

SHARE this post to spread the word - especially with anyone you know in Maryland, Delaware, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Illinois.

SIGN & SHARE PETITIONS:

Endangered Species Coalition
National Anti-Vivisection Society
WildEarth Guardians
BornFree
Animal Welfare Institute
Environmental Action
Defenders (targeting Tammy Duckworth)

INSTAGRAM: Re-Gram our posts @ecouprising2016

TWITTER: @ecouprising2016