Open Letters to Our Leaders

As a supporter of Defenders of Wildlife, I write today in regards to the USFWS's draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), which evaluates the sea otter translocation program and management zone.

I am very concerned about the fate of the sea otter. Now is a critical stage in southern sea otter recovery and an important chance for officials to help.

I support the proposals to remove the "no otter management zone" and to discontinue the translocation program for the following reasons:

Allowing sea otters to move freely is essential to fully recover the California sea otter. The Southern sea otter recovery plan and the biological opinion (compiled by the expert sea otter researchers) concluded that not allowing natural range expansion of the species threatens its future existence.

Returning sea otters to Santa Barbara and Ventura's coastal waters is important to the local coastal economies. Sea otters are a big tourism draw to the central coast of California and they provide ecosystem services benefits.

Sea otters are important to the near-shore kelp forest ecosystem. With sea otters in the picture, we have healthy kelp forests where fish and invertebrate species can thrive.

Sea otters are indicators of ecosystem health and illustrate the importance of the land-sea connection. They are considered an indicator species by virtue of the role they play in the near shore ecosystem.

Out of the original 140 sea otters translocated from 1987-1990 to San Nicolas Island, little more than 30 remain at the island. Three years after the translocation program ended in 1990, there were fewer than 25 sea otters at San Nicolas Island. While the population at the island has shown some signs of reproducing, sea otter numbers are far below the predicted viable population of 150-500 sea otters that FWS had estimated.

I also support bringing to an end or limiting the commercial fishing industry that impacts otter habitat and food. If otters are forced to compete with man, they will lose.

Thank you for considering my comments.

Dear Senator,

As a person who voted for you in the last election, I'm sick and tired of your self-righteous commentary and assaults on the President. I can't stand George Bush, but even worse, I can't stand armchair quarterbacks who reminisce about what might-have-been. You didn't get elected. It's time to think forward, not backward.

Please don't run for President in 2008 and please take me off your email list.

Thank you.

Dear Mr. President,

How dare you accuse your opponents of rewriting history? You are the one who originally sold the country on WMD, then switched gears when no WMD were found to declare that the Iraq war was a humanitarian mission. You are the one who has compared Iraq to WWII and D-Day. You are the one who, with the help of Republican colleagues in congress, is delaying investigations into the acquisition of intelligence in the lead up to the war.

Shame on you Mr. President. Admitting mistakes is human. Attempting to shift blame or focus to others is purely sinful.

As your constituent and a supporter of Defenders of Wildlife, I am writing to let you know about a reckless endangered species bill recently passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate. Rep. Richard Pombo's misleadingly titled "Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005" (H.R. 3824), or any similar legislation, should be vigorously opposed.

I am seriously concerned about the bill's effect on the Endangered Species Act. The Act has been wildly successful in preventing the extinction of many magnificent creatures, including grizzly bears, wolves, manatees, sea otters and the bald eagle. Since 1973 only nine out of the 1,800 animals protected by the Act have gone extinct.

I am concerned that this bill could actually lead to more wildlife extinctions and undermine our national commitment to protecting endangered plants and animals by sharply diminishing habitat protections, allowing federal agencies to ignore their responsibility to protect endangered species, weakening the role of science in decisions that affect endangered species and making taxpayers pay developers to comply with the law.

One other part of the bill that I oppose is that it essentially requires that private landowners and corporations be paid by the government to obey the law. This is more unconscionable Republican corporate welfare.

I sincerely hope you will vigorously oppose any effort by the Senate to approve H.R. 3824 or any other legislation that would undermine the Endangered Species Act.

Thank you for considering my comments.

Dear Mr. Reid,

Thank you for standing up to the Republican leadership and demanding progress on the investigation into the administration's misleading statements on the lead up to the war in Iraq. It is in the best interest of every American that you continue to force your Republican colleagues to admit that allegations of leaking a CIA operatives name and falsifying evidence are more than mere technicalities.

Again, thank you for your recent efforts. I hope the Democratic leadership gives more effort to defend the American people from a presidency that has run amok.

Thank you.