LastChanceToJoin50+GroupsForCoralReefTaskForceOversightProtection

Alexander Stone reefkeeper at earthlink.net
Fri Feb 11 10:53:35 EST 2000


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LAST CHANCE to Join
Environmental Defense, National Parks
Conservation Association, Ocean Futures
and the 50+ Groups Listed Below
Seeking Protection for Coral Reefs
from Federal Agency Damaging Actions
as Mandated by President Clinton
PLEASE REPLY BY FEBRUARY 20TH!
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Dear Friend of Coral Reefs:

This is your last chance to have your organization join Reef Check,
National Parks Conservation Association, ReefKeeper International,
Environmental Defense (Fund), Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures,
CORAL (Coral Reef Alliance), and over 50 other groups in a joint letter
to the US Coral Reef Task Force requesting that it take action at its
March 2nd meeting to exercise its oversight mandate to keep federal
agencies from damaging coral reefs.  Your sign-on NOW has the power to
do the following:

        *  stop the U.S. Military bombing of coral reefs;

        *  prevent Army Corps of Engineers dredging from killing coral
reefs;

        * stop the National Marine Fisheries Service from allowing the
use of fishing gears that destroy acres of coral reefs;

        * eliminate Department of Transportation coastal road
construction that smothers reefs;

        *  stop the EPA from allowing high nutrient effluent to kill
coral reefs;

        *  and more.

You can help make this happen by adding your group to the dozens of
other organizations asking the President's US Coral Reef Task Force to
ensure that any actions that US federal agencies authorize, fund, or
carry out will not degrade the conditions of coral reef ecosystems.

We need you to sign your group onto the enclosed endorsement letter BY
FEBRUARY 20TH to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure that all
Federal agencies protect coral reefs.

Read on to review the endorsement letter, and to see and join the list
of over 50 current endorsing groups... or scroll down to the next
*****starred**** section to study the letter's background rationale.

**** WE NEED YOUR GROUP TO ENDORSE THE LETTER BELOW BY FEBRUARY 20TH****

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ENDORSEMENT LETTER
*******************
(Letter Masthead)
ORGANIZATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE U.S. CORAL REEF TASK FORCE OVERSIGHT
**Admiralty Divers**AMERICAN LITTORAL SOCIETY**Aquatica Underwater
Adventurers**Arizona ReefWatch**Asian Aquatic Adventurers**Asociacion
Oceanica de Panama**Biodiversity Legal Foundation**Coastal Research &
Education**Comite ProFondo Desecheo**CORAL REEF ALLIANCE (CORAL)**Cry of
the Water Society**Dive Gals**Dive Maui Club**Dive Paradise Scuba
Club**Dive Rota Club**Dive Training Magazine**Divers Supply
Group**EcoVitality**ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE (FUND)**Fish Forever**Florida
Marine Life Association**Global Coral Reef Alliance**Gulf Restoration
Network**Hawaii Audubon Society**Hawaii Fishermen's Foundation**Isomer
Laboratory Students Association**Jack's Diving Locker Scuba
Club**Kapalua Divers**Kissimmee Pro Divers**Kohala Divers**Lost Fish
Coalition**Micronesian Divers Association**Mobjack Baykeeper
Program**NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION**Northwest
Environmental Advocates**OCEAN FUTURES**Ocean Law & Policy
Institute**Offshore Adventurers**Pacific Dive Club**Planetary Coral Reef
Foundation**Pro Scuba Association**Real World Divers**REEF
CHECK**REEFKEEPER INTERNATIONAL**Save Our Seas**Sea Sport Divers**Star
Thrower Foundation**University of Rhode Island Scuba Club**Virgin
Islands Marine Advisory Service**West Hawaii ReefWatchers**

Hon. Bruce Babbitt, USCRTF Co-Chair
Secretary of the Interior
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC  20240

Hon. Robert Mallet. USCRTF Co-Chair
Deputy Secretary of Commerce
Dept. of Commerce - Rm 5128
14th and Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC  20230

re: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Oversight

Dear Secretary Babbitt
and Deputy Secretary Mallet:

We, the (number) undersigned conservation, science and diving
organizations representing over (number) individuals, respectfully
request that the final action plan developed by the U.S. Coral Reef Task
Force (USCRTF) fulfill the USCRTF's mandate to protect U.S. coral reefs
from damaging federal agency actions by:

a) clearly specifying the USCRTF's role as an enforcer of Executive
Order 13089, and

b) including a staffed oversight process for the USCRTF to evaluate
pending agency actions and prohibit those actions which would degrade
coral reef ecosystems.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 13089
Executive Order 13089, signed by President Clinton on June 11, 1998,
established the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and its obligations to
"oversee implementation of the policy and Federal agency
responsibilities set forth in this order" (Section 4); [and]
"develop, recommend, and seek or secure implementation of measures
necessary to reduce and mitigate coral reef ecosystem degradation and to
restore damaged coral reefs" (Section 5).

Section 2 of the Executive Order states:
"(a) All Federal agencies whose actions may affects U.S. coral reef
ecosystems shall ... (b) utilize their programs and authorities to
protect and enhance the conditions of such ecosystems; and (c) to the
extent permitted by law, ensure that any actions they authorize, fund,
or carry out will not degrade the conditions of such ecosystems."

These two sections clearly outline the goals of the Executive Order as
well as the responsibility of the Task Force to oversee the
implementation of the Executive Order, including Section 2's requirement
for non-degradation of coral reef ecosystems by any Federal agency
actions.

OVERSIGHT PROCESS
In order to fulfill the obligations of the Executive Order, an oversight
process must be developed to ensure that Sections 2, 4, and 5 are met. 
This process must include personnel with direct responsibility for this
oversight.

All Federal agencies should be required to designate personnel who are
responsible for reviewing all agency actions for compliance with the
Executive Order. In addition, the USCRTF, as the enforcer of the
Executive Order, should have a staffed process for enforcing the
Executive Order.  This staffed process would include reviews of proposed
Federal agency actions as well as a mechanism whereby the USCRTF could
halt any proposed Federal agency actions that would violate the
Executive Order.

Only with an effective oversight process can we be assured that the
intent and obligations set forth in Executive Order 13089 are met.

We look forward to your support for and early response to our request.

Respectfully submitted,

(endorsing organizations will be listed alphabetically)

**** WE NEED YOUR GROUP TO ENDORSE THE LETTER POSTED ABOVE****

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BACKGROUND RATIONALE
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EXECUTIVE ORDER 13089 FOR THE
PROTECTION OF CORAL REEFS
Executive Order 13089 for Coral Reef Protection was signed by President
Clinton on June 11, 1998.  Section 2 of the Executive Order states:
"(a) All Federal agencies whose actions may affect U.S. coral reef
ecosystems shall ... (b) utilize their programs and authorities to
protect and enhance the conditions of such ecosystems; and (c) to the
extent permitted by law, ensure that any actions they authorize, fund,
or carry out will not degrade the conditions of such ecosystems."

President Clinton clearly mandated that the actions of all Federal
agencies, including those actions for which the agencies issue permits,
must do no harm to coral reef ecosystems.  This mandate applies to a
wide variety of activities such as those listed above.  This Executive
Order confers landmark federal protection to coral reefs.  But this
protection can only be realized with adequate oversight by the US Coral
Reef Task Force.

THE CORAL REEF TASK FORCE
The Executive Order also established the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
(USCRTF) and its obligations to:
"oversee implementation of the policy and Federal agency
responsibilities set forth in this order" (Section 4);
"develop, recommend, and seek or secure implementation of measures
necessary to reduce and mitigate coral reef ecosystem degradation and to
restore damaged coral reefs" (Section 5).

It is clearly the responsibility and obligation of the USCRTF to ensure
that the Executive Order is being met.  As such, the USCRTF must act as
an enforcer of the Executive Order.

WHY ACT NOW?
The USCRTF has prepared a draft action plan to implement the Executive
Order. However, the draft action plan places the USCRTF in the role of
an observer and advisor, rather than an enforcer.  The USCRTF will meet
again in early March to adopt a final action plan.  NOW is the time to
urge the USCRTF to take its responsibilities seriously and establish an
oversight process whereby all actions of all Federal agencies that may
impact coral reefs are reviewed and any actions that degrade coral reefs
are clearly prohibited because they violate the Executive Order.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you represent a group or a dive center, please take a few short
minutes to read the enclosed Endorsement Letter.  Then phone, e-mail or
fax us with your okay to add your group or dive center's name to the
list of organizations signing the letter which requests enforcement of
Executive Order 13089.  We will combine it with dozens more for
presentation at the USCRTF meeting on March 2nd.

Thank you in advance for your help,

ALEXANDER STONE
President
ReefKeeper International
(305)358-4600
(FAX) 358-3030
Email a_stone at reefkeeper.org

**** WE NEED YOUR GROUP TO ENDORSE THE
LETTER POSTED ABOVE BY FEBRUARY 20TH****

*************************************
Join the 50+ Groups Listed Above
Seeking Protection for Coral Reefs
from Federal Agency Damaging Actions
as Mandated by President Clinton
PLEASE REPLY BY FEBRUARY 20TH!
*************************************
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sponsors coral-list and the Coral Health and Monitoring Program
(CHAMP, http://www.coral.noaa.gov).  Please visit the Web site
for instructions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list.
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