In defense of the Gray Whales
by Evelyn McConnaughey

Natural Resources Defense Council has launched a campaign of 1 million letters to save the Gray Whale nursery in Baja, California. Recent spills of toxic brine waste from the Mitsubishi saltworks have killed 94 endangered sea turtles and a large number of fish. Please write UNESCO to join the petition to the World Heritage Committee, which convenes in Kyoto in December, to add Laguna San Ignacio to its list of 25 special sites that are considered "In Danger." Laguna San Ignacio is the last untouched nursery of the Pacific Gray Whale. It is essential to the breeding of Gray Whale and important for other wildlife. It is part of an ecological preserve, which was formed to protect the gray whale. It has been said that the Mitsubishi saltworks factory would pump so much water out of the lagoon that both the temperature and salinity conditions essential to the young whale calves would be changed. Earthen dikes would alter the rainfall drainage patterns, and the mile-long pier for transporting salt to ocean-going ships lies directly in the whales' path. Visitors to the Oregon coast, as well as its residents celebrate the migration of the whales along the Oregon coast. We would also urge the Mexican government to live up to the environmental laws as required by NAFTA. Please help Mexico plan for a sustainable future that protects our continent's wildlife. Please write:

World Heritage Committee, UNESCO
7 Place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP, France

Send Copy to:
Mr. Motohiko Namaguchi
President, CEO
Mitsubishi International Corporation
520 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10022

Research Grants available for Amazon Creek or Willow Creek projects: submitted by Evelyn McConnaughey

An opportunity to apply for research funds for a project to benefit water quality in either the Amazon, or Willow Creek sub-basins. A total of $70,000 is available as a result of a settlement in a suit brought against Hyundai. Projects must be done through a tax exempt organization. Deadline is Dec. 4th. For more information phone me--Evelyn, 345-0227, or Bern Johnson at 1290 E. 25th, Eugene 97403, or bern@elaw.org, or Jennifer Gleason at jen@elaw.org.

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