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In a huge victory for the endangered Cook bay beluga whale, Last week a federal court in Alaska rejected a rule allowing offshore oil and gas production Hillcorp Alaska. Petition National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA) would have harmed and harassed protected whales and other ocean views.
“These little whales have struggled to weather a barrage of man-made hazards, including noise pollution from offshore oil activities. This rule should never have been approved. Instead, federal officials should really be committed to saving these incredible animals by giving up oil drilling in Cook Inlet, ”said Kristen Monsell, Oceans Legal Director. Center for Biological Diversity, at statement.
In a 52-page decision, Judge Sharon Gleeson agreed with the plaintiffs. Cook inletkeeper and the Center for Biological Diversity, that the agency’s “admission permit” did not comply with several environmental laws. The permit allows harm to marine mammals from seismic explosions, piling and other offshore development activities undertaken by Hilcorp over the next five years. She called this rule “arbitrary and capricious” because it does not take into account all the damage done to this beluga population.
“Federal scientists are racking their brains over why the beluga whale population in Cook Bay continues to decline,” said Bob Shavelson, director of human rights advocacy at Cook Inletkeeper. “But when Hilcorp fires seismic air guns, dumps toxic waste and creates harmful noise in the main whale habitat, it’s no surprise.”
AT Marine Mammal Protection Act generally prohibits the killing, harm, or pursuit of marine mammals. Unfortunately, the federal government can only permit certain industrial activities that harm and persecute only a “small number” of marine mammals.
Organizations argued that the permit did not meet these legislative standards because it underestimated the number of marine mammals affected, and otherwise failed to scrutinize Hilcorp’s impact on endangered species. Cook Bay Beluga under both Endangered Species Act and Law on National Environmental Policy.
The court ruled that the agency had violated these laws by ignoring the impact of tugboat noise generated by Hilcorp’s activities. The agency considers such noise to be one of the main threats to the species, but ignored it in approving Hilcorp’s operations.
The court ordered the parties to provide additional information on the relevant remedy within 14 days…
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A Federal Court report in favor of protecting endangered beluga whales in Cook Bay from the harmful activities of oil company Hilcorp Alaska first appeared in World Animal News.
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