Save polar bears from the fossil fuel industry!

The Arctic Refuge is one of the most important onshore denning habitats for polar bears in the United States. But oil and gas seismic testing in the coast plan could irreversibly damage this essential habitat, threatening iconic species like the polar bear.

Will you send a message to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and tell them to protect the Arctic’s vulnerable ecosystem?

Comments

To whom it may concern:

The proposed seismic exploration program does not comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The Department of Interior (DOI) and the Service should deny any authorization for Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation (KIC) to take threatened polar bears in the course of conducting 3-Dimensial (3D) seismic exploration on the Coastal Plain.

The Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge provides very important habitat for polar bears, in particular the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population. Of the two polar bear populations (or stocks) found in the United States, the SBS population is the most likely to occur on the Coastal Plain. The majority of the Coastal Plain (approximately 77 percent) is designated as critical habitat for the species under the Endangered Species Act. The Coastal Plain provides important on-shore denning habitat, and more and more bears are using on-shore habitat as sea ice diminishes due to climate change. The importance of the Coastal Plain to polar bears cannot be overstated.

In the draft IHA, the Service failed to take into account key considerations in reaching its determination that KIC’s seismic program will be limited to negligible impacts on polar bears, and that take will be of “small numbers.” Even with the proposed restrictions and mitigation described in the IHA, there is a substantial probability that these exploration activities could result in the death or serious injury of cubs and/or denning maternal polar bears that will have more than a negligible impact on the SBS stock. Furthermore, FWS has underestimated the risks to cubs.

KIC’s application should be denied. Regardless, the must fully consider and address the all public comments received on the draft IHA and related environmental review.

Sincerely,
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{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Postcode}

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