Subject:
Actions of U.S Corps of Engineers resulting in deaths of protected species
To:
Sen. Saxby Chambliss
November 3, 2009
On October 30, the Brunswick, Georgia News carried an article, "Summer Dredging Killed Sea Turtles." It recounts U.S. Corps of Engineers dredging operations carried on in Brunswick and Savannah, in which a total of seven federally protected sea turtles were decimated by hopper dredges. These operations, funded by federal stimulus monies, were carried out in September, despite the advice of wildlife officials that loggerheads and other sea turtles are most present and active in our coastal waters at the end of the summer and in September. Dave Allison, Senior Campaign Director for Oceana, was quoted in the article saying, "The killing of sea turtles and putting them at further risk of extinction just to pump money through the system is at the very least unfortunate. I can understand the desire to keep dredge operators employed and keep money going through the stimulus. But there simply is no real justification for this kind of carnage." As a contributing member of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center who takes great pride in the achievements and the dedication of the staff and leadership of that marvelous organization, it gives me great personal pain to read about such wanton destruction of seven members of a species that we are struggling so hard to save. I call on you, as one of my Congressmen, to step forward and prevent such actions on the part of the Corps of Engineers from taking place ever again during the months of May through September in Coastal Georgia.
Atlanta , GA
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