ALS

Like many of you, I am shocked, saddened and angry at the unfolding tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico. The initial news about the oil rig explosion and workers’ deaths was terrible. Now, an ever-growing catastrophe threatens the gulf coast. Today, experts are saying that the spill has already exceeded the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster.

I am writing to you because I know from your calls and emails that many of you are wondering how to help. Many of you are also wondering if we are doing everything possible to prevent such a tragedy here.

1) How can we help out in the Gulf ? The American Littoral Society is a partner in Restore America’s Estuaries, along with our sister organization, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL). CRCL hit the ground running when news of the spill hit and are working with federal and state agencies to identify and register volunteers with the skills needed to reduce the impact of the oil and clean up after it hits land. They have also set up a special fund for the recovery effort. You can learn more about volunteering and register and donate money online at the CRCL website.

2) How can we safeguard our own special coast and bays? While we do not have oil drilling operations in New York and New Jersey waters, we face the daily risk of oil spills from oil tankers, cargo vessels, fuel barges and fuel transfer operations. The Obama Administration has now proposed opening waters off Virginia – too close for comfort. Very recently, the Athos spill in the Delaware Bay reminded us of our vulnerability to these accidents. The BP oil spill in the Gulf again underscores the importance of establishing and enforcing strict spill prevention requirements and ensuring that industry is prepared and capable of responding to and cleaning up a large oil spill.

We must undertake constant evaluation of our oil spill prevention programs to insure that they are not underfunded and the capability of the industry here is sufficient to respond to even a moderate spill, let alone the catastrophic type spill that we are witnessing on the Gulf Coast. In the wake of the BP Gulf oil spill, the Littoral Society will continue its ongoing efforts to strengthen oil spill prevention and response programs. You can count on us to work hard in the legislature and with state regulators. I encourage you to join our Activist email alert program to get all the latest calls-to-action in this effort to make our waters safe, clean and healthy. I also ask that you support the American Littoral Society with a donation to continue our work on your behalf.

Sincerely,

Tim Dillingham, Executive Director

Photo Credits:

Loon awaits transport to International Bird Rescue and Research Center after Cosco Busa spill off San Fransisco in 2007. Trish Carney/Marine Photobank

Signs posted in wake of Cosco Busa Spill courtesy of whatimseeing/Marine Photobank

Help Save Barnegat Bay from the Destructive Impact of Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant

Every day, Oyster Creek Nuclear power plant strains the marine life from hundreds of millions of gallons of Barnegat Bay′s waters. The plant uses outdated technology to cool the nuclear generators which rely on "once through" use of Barnegat Bay.

The Clean Water Act now requires power plants to avoid the use of bay and ocean waters, and avoid the impacts to fish, crabs, sea turtles and other marine and estuarine life. Because of its age, the Oyster Creek plant has avoided compliance with requirements of the Clean Water Act that would make plant use or upgrade to a closed cooling system - one which did not utilize the waters of Barnegat Bay.

The New Jersey DEP has issued a draft permit that would require Oyster Creek′s parent company, Exelon, to bring the cooling systems up to modern standards and install cooling towers in place of the once through system. The company opposes this requirement. Earlier this spring, two public hearings were held on the issue. The American Littoral Society and many others who care for Barnegat Bay and its natural life spoke out and supported the NJDEP′s proposed solution to protect the Bay. We have been extensively involved in the effort to require the plant to stop its destruction of the Bay. Important documents and copies of our testimony follow.

Copies of the proposed permit can be found at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dwq/pdf/draft_permit100107.pdf

Testimony - 12.14.09

Fact Sheet - 12.10.09

Comments - 03.23.07

Comments - 11.21.05

Testimony - 12.03.04

REPORT ALL SITINGS OF INVASIVE CHINESE MITTEN CRABS

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and east coast state environmental agencies have issued alerts for the Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis), a highly invasive species from China that has recently been spotted in teh Chesapeake in Maryland, in the Delaware Bay, and in the Hudson River. The crab is so invasive that it is listed under the Federal Lacey Act which makes it illegal to possess, import, export, transport, sell, received, acquire or purchase this species in the United States. To learn how to identify this crab and what to do if you find one, download the SERC Fact Sheet. Please pass it on to others who are active in, on, near east coast waters. Download Fact Sheet