The MENDOCINO COUNTRY Independent
Posted July 15, 2009
CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON SEEKS ANSWERS
FROM NOAA RE NWTC
May 28, 2009
Congressman Thompson Sends Letter to NOAA
Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) sent the following letter to NOAA
Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco on May 21, 2009:
Dear Undersecretary Lubchenco:
As the Pacific Coast Congressman whose district includes more shoreline
than any other in the contiguous United States, I am concerned about
the United States Navy’s ability to properly review the environmental
impacts of proposed enhancements in its Northwest Training Range
Complex (NWTRC). The Navy’s environmental review process will remain
insufficient until the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) completes its review of mitigation measures
applicable to the use of sonar in the Pacific Northwest.
I am particularly concerned that NOAA’s existing mitigation measures
may not be best suited for the protected marine mammals and endangered
salmonids present in the Pacific Northwest. While NOAA completed a
review of measures to mitigate the negative impacts of sonar use in the
Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico earlier this year, many of the
proposed mitigation actions revolve around species and habitats, such
as the North Atlantic right whale, endemic to those regions. In order
for NOAA to properly prescribe measures to mitigate the effects of
sonar use in the NWTRC, it is essential that the ongoing review of
mitigation measures includes a hard look at the cultural, economic and
ecological consequences of NWTRC training for the Pacific Coast’s
invaluable ocean resources, including endangered Southern
Oregon/Northern California Coastal coho salmon and the iconic gray
whale.
I am also concerned about proposed changes to current levels of
activity in the NWTRC that focus on training for new aircraft and ship
classes and physical enhancements to the training range. The Navy’s
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) acknowledges that these changes,
particularly those related to its increased use of mid-frequency sonar,
are likely to have measurable impacts on 32 protected marine mammal
species known to inhabit the NWTRC. As the Navy moves forward with
plans to train on new weapons systems, it is essential that NOAA
identifies the environmental impacts of these new aircraft, ships and
submarines – and their accompanying mitigation measures – specifically
with reference to the productive ocean habitats and species that define
the Pacific Coast.
Although I welcome NOAA’s commitment to review sonar mitigation
measures, I am not aware of any specific elements included in the
evaluation and am concerned that the review will be inadequate to
address the Navy’s EIS with respect to protection of Pacific Coast
ocean ecosystems. NOAA’s comprehensive review is particularly important
given that the Navy has estimated shipboard visual monitoring for
marine mammals – the most commonly employed sonar mitigation measure –
to be effective only 9% of the time. It is important that NOAA take
immediate steps to validate its comprehensive review of mitigation
measures. Specifically, I request that you provide my office with an
outline of the comprehensive review process and answers to the
following questions:
1. What mitigation measures will be reviewed during
NOAA’s process? 2. What data will NOAA use to
identify those mitigation measures best able to protect marine species?
3. How will your agency’s recommendations target
specific species, habitats or training activities of concern?
4. How will NOAA’s recommendations address sonar
impacts to species other than marine mammals? 5. How
will NOAA or the Navy establish performance standards to ensure that
recommended mitigation measures are functioning as intended?
I look forward to working with you to ensure that any authorization of
salmonid or marine mammal takes by the Navy is based on the best
available science and includes those mitigation measures best able to
protect marine species and habitats of the Pacific Northwest. I
appreciate your attention to this important matter and your ongoing
efforts to improve the health of our oceans.
Sincerely,
MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress
###
CONTACT: Laurel Brown at (202) 225-3311, (202) 689-4730 or
laurel.brown@mail.house.gov
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Laurel Brown
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Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-01)
Office: (202) 225-3311
Cell: (202) 689-4730