TIME FOR A LITTLE ACTIVISM!
CALVINEERS UNITE !!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced a proposed rule change that could literally turn the tide for the struggling North Atlantic Right Whale population.

As you know, ships close to the coast where the whales migrate strike most right whales.  The proposed rule will require ships to slow down to 10 knots within 30 miles of major ports on the east coast and in a few seasonal hangouts that the whales frequent.  Amy believes that this single rule change will save many right whales from death in the future.  

The rule is proposed not law yet!    There is a 60-day comment period so that the public can weigh in on the idea before the government votes on the proposal.  I believe it is a congressional subcommittee in Congress that does this.  Scientists like Amy, conservationists like Sharon Young or Karen Baragona and shipping industry people like Don O’Hare will all have their say.  Obviously NMFS people will argue for it.  

But, sometimes the most effective way to ensure passage of a rule like this is grass roots activism from citizens.  YOU, A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  It is your right to let your representatives in Washington know the whole story here, to get the facts straight, to educate them.  

So, here is my idea.  Let’s become familiar with the news articles and releases put out last week.  News articles are usually superficial and rarely tell the in depth story.  Let’s find the shortcomings and write our representatives telling them the whole story with details they can use to make the right decision.

I have enclosed two articles, one from the Boston Globe and one from National Geographic News on-line.  Amy and Don O’Hare were also interviewed on NPR’s Morning Edition on Monday, June 26th.  I have an audio copy of it but you can find it online also.  The third article is not directly related but connects shipstrikes and education, which may give us yet another lead to work on.  It appears in July’s Working Waterfront Newspaper (Free everywhere).

Your Job over the next ten to fifteen days is to DRAFT a letter about ONE SPECIFIC ASPECT of the news articles that needs clarification.  If you want to do more than one aspect DO TWO SEPARATE LETTERS!  Read the articles then read my comments below that point out a few areas, pick one and DO IT.  

WE WILL HAVE A MEETING BETWEEN JULY 9TH AND JULY 13TH (WHENEVER WE CAN GET THE MOST PEOPLE) AND REVIEW THE LETTERS AND FORM A STRATEGY OF WHO TO SEND THEM TO.  IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THE MEETING SEND YOUR LETTER ANYWAY!!!  We’ll edit it and suggest whom you might send it to.  Please do not mail your letter without checking with the group for the best approach.

WE HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 24TH TO DO THIS, PLENTY OF TIME.


Here are a few things I noticed:

(By the way, no one is our enemy here.  O’Hare makes the most ridiculous statements but he is sincere (just misleading) and does work with the ship strike committee)

A) O’Hare points out that the Navy and Coast Guard is exempt from the rule, they can go faster in the zones.  But it is a fact that the Coast Guard has been voluntarily slowing down on routine missions and the Navy, after killing a right whale with one of their ships going 21 knots last year, has voluntarily slowed down their whole east coast fleet to fit the right whale guidelines.  In other words, the Navy and Coast Guard do it even though they are exempt.
B) O’Hare says there is no proof.  In fact there never will be because the only way to prove the speed limit works is to put a bunch of right whales in front of various speed ships and collect data.  Can’t do that!!!  There is evidence from all over the world (Amy collected the data into a paper, e-mail her for the reference aknowlton@neaq.org) that no large whales including right whales have been killed by ships going less than 10 knots.  This is called anecdotal evidence and is sometimes criticized by the other side as not being scientific but there is no other way to look at this situation without actually hurting whales.  The anecdotal evidence alone justifies trying the speed limit just to see what will happen.
C) O’Hare says that ships will spend a LOT MORE money delivering goods.  In fact only about 5% of the ships will be affected even moderately.  95% of the ships will see little increase, minimal impact on the price of a banana.  The way I look at it is if a ship travels 2,000 miles and has to slow down the last thirty miles, not a bi deal.  It is like me driving to Boston and going through a few Toll Plazas.  I have to slow down for safety but the whole trip costs me no more.  NMFS, scientists and conservationists all agree the rule is worth spending more money to save the right whales, something the law implies should be done anyway.
D) The North Atlantic right whale is the slowest swimming of the large whales.  Its top speed is 8 knots and only swims 5-6 when traveling from place to place.  Just like a squirrel in the middle of the road that cannot react fast enough to avoid a car going 50mph but does to a car going 25mph, the right whale will more likely get out of the way of a ship going 10 knots that 20 knots.  Just plain common sense.
E) It is a fact that there is no system yet to alert right whales and scare them off.  Sound waves, vibrations and light have all failed to scare off right whales.  In fact some attract them because they are curious!  So these kinds of suggestions from shippers should be dismissed immediately.  Nothing like this on the radar screen.

WELL, there are a few areas to focus in on.  You might have others.  Here are some other ideas I had that could help us write meaningful letters to our representatives:

1) Write or call the editors of the Working Waterfront and tell them you are a Calvineer, part of an education project that is trying to educate people about the plight of the right whale in New England.  Tell the editors about the proposed rule and see if they could support it?  Or how they feel about it?  This could be interesting!
2) Call up David Gelinas and ask a Pilot what he thinks of the proposed rule.  He once told me that he thought ships should be slowed down anyway near ports…it is a safety problem right now he thinks.  Wouldn’t it be great to give another reason for slowing ships down other than whales!
3) Call Andy Chase or Randy Flood, etc. and do the same as in #2.  They are captains and will have an opinion on it.
4) Visit Captain Wade on the State of Maine and run the idea by him.  See what he thinks the impact to the shipping industry will be.  Get some quotes from him.
5) WHO TEACHES ECONOMICS AT MMA?  Find that professor and see if she/he thinks the shipping industry will be hurt badly by such a rule?
6) OTHER OTHER OTHER…….


Thanks for listening and let me know when you have a draft letter by calling my home and leaving a message.  Also tell me what times and dates you could meet between July 9th and 13th.

My Best,

Mr. Mc     326 8488     bmcweeny@adams.u93.k12.me.us


PS  THIS IS A NO GUILT ASSIGNMENT.  DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE WITH THE CALVIN PROJECT THIS YEAR, THIS IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN ALL DO!  WE HAVE ALL BEEN BUSY!  JUST JUMP RIGHT BACK INTO THE PROJECT AND THINGS WILL START HAPPENING AGAIN.