April, 28 2010, 02:17pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
David Ringer
601-661-6189
Missisissippi River Initiative Communications Coordinator
dringer@audubon.org
Delta Willis
212-979-3197
Senior Communications Manager
dwillis@audubon.org
Audubon Fears Imperiled Birds Will Be Next Victims of Gulf Oil Disaster
"This spill would give anyone pause regarding the pursuit of risky drilling in environmentally sensitive coastal areas."
NEW YORK
Audubon experts across the Gulf Coast are
monitoring the spread of thousands of gallons of oil that threaten to
turn last week's drilling platform explosion into a growing
environmental disaster.
"The terrible loss of 11 workers may be just the beginning of this
tragedy as the oil slick spreads toward sensitive coastal areas vital
to birds and marine life and to all the communities that depend on
them," said Melanie Driscoll an Audubon bird conservation director, who
is monitoring the situation from her base in Louisiana. "For birds, the
timing could not be worse; they are breeding, nesting and especially
vulnerable in many of the places where the oil could come ashore."
Sensitive coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida
are all potential targets of the growing spill. "The efforts to stop
the oil before it reaches shore are heroic, but may not be enough,"
added Driscoll. "We have to hope for the best, but prepare for the
worst, including a true catastrophe for birds."
In Florida, Audubon is recruiting volunteers and making its Center for
Birds of Prey available for bird cleansing and rehabilitation.
Elsewhere, the organization is gearing up to help mobilize volunteers
and provide other assistance in the event the oil reaches sensitive
shorelines.
Several "Important Bird Areas," designated by Audubon and its partners
for their essential habitat value to bird species lie within
potentially-affected areas. Those under immediate threat include
Chandeleur Islands IBA and Gulf Islands National Seashore IBA in
Louisiana and Mississippi; and the Active Delta IBA in Louisiana, which
includes Delta National Wildlife Refuge and Pass-a-Loutre Wildlife
Management Area.
Among the birds are prompting special concern:
Brown Pelican -The state bird of Louisiana nests on barrier islands and
feeds near shore. Their breeding season just began and many pairs are
already incubating eggs. Removed from the U.S. Endangered Species list
only late last year, Brown Pelicans remain vulnerable to storms,
habitat loss and other pressures. Their relatively low reproductive
rate means any disruption to their breeding cycle could have serious
effects on the population.
Beach-nesting terns and gulls (Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern,
Least Tern, Laughing Gull, Black Skimmer) - These birds nest and roost
in groups on barrier islands and beaches. Some species have begun
nesting or building pair bonds in preparation for nesting. They feed on
fish and other marine life. Roosting and nesting on the sand and
plunging into the water to fish, they are extremely vulnerable oil on
the surface or washing ashore.
Beach-nesting shorebirds (American Oystercatcher, Wilson's Plover, Snowy Plover)
-These birds nest on the ground on barrier islands and beaches. They
feed on small invertebrates along the beach or - in the case of
oystercatchers - on oysters. They are at risk if oil comes ashore or
affects their food sources.
Reddish Egret - Populations of these large, strictly coastal egrets
have dwindled due to habitat loss and disturbance. As specialized
residents of coastal environments, they have nowhere else to go if
their feeding and nesting grounds are fouled by oil.
Large wading birds (Roseate Spoonbill, Ibises, Herons, Egrets) - Many
herons, egrets and other species feed in marshes and along the coast
and nest in large colonies called rookeries. They are vulnerable if oil
comes ashore in these areas. The central Gulf Coast region hosts
continentally and globally significant populations of many of these
birds.
Marsh birds - (Mottled Duck, Clapper Rail, Black Rail, Seaside Sparrow,
Marsh-Dwelling Songbirds) - Many of these birds are extremely
secretive, hindering understanding of their population dynamics.
Recovery efforts would be difficult or impossible if oil accumulates in
the coastal salt marshes where they live
Ocean-dwelling birds -Birds that spend a significant portion of their
lives at sea, including the Magnificent Frigatebird, may be affected by
oiled waters. Contact with oil could lead to ingestion or damage to
feathers. Oil also threatens their food supplies. These birds are
difficult to monitor, and potential impacts are not fully understood.
Migratory shorebirds (plovers, sandpipers and relatives) - These birds'
travels span the western hemisphere. But many species are currently en
route from wintering grounds in South America to breeding grounds in
boreal forests and arctic tundra. They congregate in great numbers on
beaches and barrier islands to rest and refuel during their long
journeys.
Migratory songbirds (warblers, orioles, buntings, flycatchers,
swallows, and others)- Many of our most colorful and familiar summer
songbirds fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico twice each year as they
migrate between their breeding and wintering grounds. The biggest push
of spring migrants moves across the gulf during a two-week period from
late April to early May. The journey across 500 miles of open water
strains their endurance to its limits. They depend on clear skies and
healthy habitats on both sides of the gulf in order to survive the
journey.
"It is unfortunate that it takes a potential disaster to remind the
nation of the risks involved with our addiction to oil," said Audubon
Legislative Director Mike Daulton. "This spill would give anyone pause
regarding the pursuit of risky drilling in environmentally sensitive
coastal areas. For the long term, we need to move as quickly as
possible from the addiction to fossil fuels to the promise of clean,
renewable energy."
Maps of Audubon Important Bird Areas in the region https://louisianacoast.audubon.org/birds-science-education/important-bird-areas/what-are-important-bird-areas
Brown pelicans recently delisted from being an Endangered species https://web1.audubon.org/news/pressRelease.php?id=1940&month=11-09
Now in its second century, Audubon connects people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in conservation action to protect and restore the natural world.
LATEST NEWS
Joe Lieberman, Iraq War Cheerleader and Killer of Public Option, Dead at 82
"Joe Lieberman's legacy will live on as your medical debt."
Mar 27, 2024
While current and former officials across the U.S. political spectrum shared praise for and fond memories of former Sen. Joe Lieberman in response to news of his death on Wednesday, critics highlighted how some of his key positions led to the deaths of many others.
Lieberman's family said the 82-year-old died at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital after a fall at his home in the Bronx. He served in the Connecticut Senate, as the state's attorney general, and in the U.S. Senate—initially as a Democrat and eventually as an Independent. He was also Democratic former Vice President Al Gore's running mate in the 2000 presidential election.
"Up until the very end, Joe Lieberman enjoyed the high-quality, government-financed healthcare that he worked diligently to deny the rest of us. That's his legacy," said Melanie D'Arrigo, executive director of the Campaign for New York Health, which advocates for universal, single-payer healthcare.
As Warren Gunnels, majority staff director for Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.),
explained, "Joe Lieberman led the effort to ensure the Affordable Care Act did not include a public option or a reduction in the Medicare eligibility age to 55."
Noting that Lieberman also lied about the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq—which was used to justify the 2003 U.S. invasion—Gunnels asked, "How many people unnecessarily died as a result?"
He was far from alone in highlighting the two defining positions.
The Lever's David Sirota declared, "RIP Joe Lieberman, Iraq War cheerleader who led the fight to make sure Medicare was not extended to millions of Americans who desperately needed the kind of healthcare coverage he enjoyed in the Senate."
The Debt Collective said on social media that "Joe Lieberman killed so many people when he killed the public option. Not to mention all the people he killed by cheerleading every war and every lie that led to war. A truly horrible person with a shameful legacy."
Journalist Jon Schwarz pointed out that Lieberman continued to lie about the WMDs long after the claims were debunked.
FormerMSNBC host Mehdi Hasan noted that Lieberman declined an opportunity to apologize for the disastrous war, sharing a clip from his on-camera interview with the ex-senator in 2021.
And please don\u2019t give me this \u2018don\u2019t speak ill of the dead\u2019 stuff - 1) I\u2019m not speaking ill, I\u2019m stating facts, and 2) public figures are public figures, and their obits reflect their legacies and so we should be honest in our accounts of their legacies. Not offensive but honest— (@)
"We lost a giant today. I often disagreed with Joe Lieberman but he was always honorable in the way he called for American troops to murder people abroad so he could get his jollies," said Matt Stoller of the American Economic Liberties Project in a series of sarcastic social media posts.
"Joe Lieberman balanced his love of other people fighting in immoral wars with a commitment to preventing Americans from getting healthcare," Stoller added. "Even after his Senate career, he showed his strong democratic values by lobbying for Chinese telecom firms. We will miss this man."
Keep ReadingShow Less
'Enough Is Enough': Ireland Joins ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel
"What we saw on October 7 in Israel, and what we are seeing in Gaza now, represents the blatant violation of international humanitarian law on a mass scale," said one top Irish official.
Mar 27, 2024
Citing Israel's "blatant" human rights violations in Gaza, Ireland's second-highest-ranking official said Wednesday that the country will join the South Africa-led genocide case before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Irish Tánaiste Micheál Martin—the equivalent of a deputy prime minister in other parliamentary nations—said that Ireland decided to intervene in the case after analyzing the "legal and policy issues" pertaining to the case under review by the United Nations' top court.
"It is for the court to determine whether genocide is being committed," Martin—who also serves as Ireland's foreign and defense minister—said in a statement. "But I want to be clear in reiterating what I have said many times in the last few months; what we saw on October 7 in Israel, and what we are seeing in Gaza now, represents the blatant violation of international humanitarian law on a mass scale."
Martin continued:
The taking of hostages. The purposeful withholding of humanitarian assistance to civilians. The targeting of civilians and of civilian infrastructure. The indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The use of civilian objects for military purposes. The collective punishment of an entire population.
The list goes on. It has to stop. The view of the international community is clear. Enough is enough. The U.N. Security Council has demanded an immediate cease-fire, the unconditional release of hostages, and the lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale. The European Council has echoed this call.
South Africa's case—which is supported by over 30 countries, the Arab League, African Union, and others—incisively details Israel's conduct in the war, including the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians, mostly women and children; the wounding of tens of thousands more; the forcible displacement of 90% of the besieged enclave's 2.3 million people; and the inflicting of conditions leading to widespread starvation and disease. The filing also cited numerous genocidal statements by Israeli officials.
On January 26, the ICJ issued a preliminary ruling that Israel is plausibly committing genocide in Gaza and ordered its government and military to prevent genocidal acts. Palestinian and international human rights defenders say Israel has ignored the order, pointing to more than 30,000 men, women, and children killed or wounded in Gaza since January 26.
A draft report
released this week by the U.N.'s Human Rights Council found "reasonable grounds to believe" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, a move that came on the same day as the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the ongoing war.
"The situation could not be more stark; half the population of Gaza face imminent famine and 100% of the population face acute food insecurity," said Martin. "As the U.N. secretary-general said as he inspected long lines of blocked relief trucks waiting to enter Gaza during his visit to Rafah at the weekend: 'It is time to truly flood Gaza with lifesaving aid. The choice is clear: surge or starvation.' I echo his words today."
In a St. Partick's Day White House meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden—a staunch supporter of Israel—Irish Toaiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar, who announced earlier this month that he would soon step down, said that "the Irish people are deeply troubled about the catastrophe that's unfolding before our eyes in Gaza."
"And when I travel the world, leaders often ask me why the Irish have such empathy for the Palestinian people," he added. "And the answer is simple: We see our history in their eyes—a story of displacement, of dispossession and national identity questioned and denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now hunger."
Keep ReadingShow Less
House Democrat Calls GOP Budget a 'Blueprint for a Dystopian Hellscape'
Rep. Don Beyer warns the plan "would see unbridled benefits flowing to a wealthy and well-connected few while tens of millions of Americans lose healthcare, housing, retirement security, and food security."
Mar 27, 2024
As Republicans on Wednesday set their sights on a key seat opening up in the U.S. House of Representatives, the chamber's senior Democrat on the congressional Joint Economic Committee put out a blistering takedown of a top GOP budget proposal for the next fiscal year.
Congressman Don Beyer (D-Va.) took aim at the 180-page "Fiscal Sanity to Save America" plan released last week by the Republican Study Committee (RSC)—which includes about 80% of GOP House members—following proposals from Democratic President Joe Biden and House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas).
"The Republican Study Committee budget is a blueprint for a dystopian hellscape," he warned. "The vision offered by this group, which counts 4 in 5 House Republicans as members, would see unbridled benefits flowing to a wealthy and well-connected few while tens of millions of Americans lose healthcare, housing, retirement security, and food security."
RSC proposals to "dramatically weaken healthcare," Beyer noted, include turning Medicare into a voucher plan and rolling back Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provisions that cut costs for seniors; repealing tax subsidies for the Affordable Care Act and the law's protections for people with preexisting conditions; and transforming Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program into block grants to states.
As Common Dreams has reported, in addition to seeking cuts to Medicare and Social Security—while claiming to do nothing of the sort—the RSC has also launched a full-fledged assault on reproductive healthcare and rights, promoting 42 bills that would ban abortions after 15 weeks or even earlier, require unnecessary ultrasounds and 24-hour waiting periods, prohibit the use of fetal stem cells for research, and threaten access to in vitro fertilization, among other restrictions.
In addition to attacking reproductive freedom and key programs for seniors and low-income families, Beyer highlighted, the RSC wants to "weaken public health, public safety, and environmental protections," while "cutting taxes for the wealthy, by a lot."
The RSC advocates ending green tax credits from the IRA and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as well as slashing money for Community Oriented Policing Services and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The committee also calls for permanently lowering taxes for the ultrarich, indexing capital gains taxes to inflation, repealing the estate tax, rolling back the IRA's corporate alternative minimum tax, and eliminating funding intended to help the Internal Revenue Service catch wealthy tax cheats.
"Democrats believe there is a better way to get our fiscal house in order without betraying our values," said Beyer. "That starts with making smart investments in our people and our future while demanding that the rich and large corporations pay their fair share in taxes. The contrast between the Democratic approach and this Republican budget could not possibly be clearer."
Biden's budget blueprint—released as he prepares for an electoral rematch against former Republican President Donald Trump, who infamously cut taxes for rich people and corporations—proposes a 25% minimum tax for individuals with wealth of more than $100 million, along with ending capital income tax breaks and closing other loopholes.
Polling results released Tuesday by Morning Consult show that a majority of voters across party lines in key swing states support raising taxes on people who make more than $400,000 per year.
Biden and the divided Congress this past weekend narrowly avoided a government shutdown by passing a long-delayed spending package. Fiscal year 2025 is set to begin in October, setting up another election-year fight over funding.
In what's been
dubbed the "Great Resignation," a growing number of House Republicans have announced that they are not seeking reelection or even exited their seats early—shrinking the party's already slim majority in the lower chamber.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular