Send a message to help protect dolphins

"I've never seen such a high prevalence of very sick animals."^[1]

That's a recent quote from Lori Schwake, one of the leading experts on dolphins in the southern U.S., speaking about bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf.

It's been five years since the BP oil spill disaster first devastated wetlands, beaches, and wildlife habitats in the Gulf, and the impacts are still far from over.  A recent study found that in areas most impacted by the BP oil disaster, bottlenose dolphins are dying at FOUR times the normal rate.^[2]

Earlier this year, a Louisiana federal judge ruled that BP be held responsible for $13.7 billion in fines for the devastating damages they caused to the people and ecosystems of the Gulf.^[3] But, there is no guarantee that any of those fines will be used for restoring habitats for species like the bottlenose dolphin.

Send a message telling the Department of Commerce to make sure BP's fines are used for restoring Gulf wildlife and ecosystems!

The new study reports findings of dolphins with missing teeth, lung disease, and abnormal hormone levels. Pneumonia, liver disease and a pregnant female carrying a dead fetus were also documented.^[4]  

If we don't speak up now, we could risk losing our treasured wetlands, beaches and wildlife habitats to developers who instead of making real investments in the restoration of the Gulf, want to build an automotive processing facility and a large sports complex.^[5] But you can be a part of an enduring effort to make the Gulf and bottlenose dolphins whole again. 

Tell the Department of Commerce to ensure all of BP's oil disaster fines are allocated to restoring Gulf wildlife, ecosystems and communities.

To hear BP tell it, everything is fine in the Gulf. The company is even spending millions on cheerful television ads and glossy reports declaring the Gulf to be on the mend, with no long-term impact on wildlife or people in the Gulf.^[6] But we're not that easily fooled. 

It's up to people like you to make sure BP's fines for the Gulf oil disaster go toward real environmental and community restoration. Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, is the chair of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council that will determine when and how the five affected Gulf States use these funds. She can help guarantee the money will be used to restore habitats for dolphins and communities devastated by the spill. 

Stand for dolphins and communities. Send a message to the Department of Commerce to ensure that all fines from the BP oil disaster are used to restore Gulf wildlife and ecosystems.

In it together,

Courtney-Rose Dantus
SierraRise

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