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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We have been off island and returned to a
discussion regarding Vieques. People have expressed concerns about what
will happen to Vieques after the Navy leaves. Some have even suggested that the
U.S. Navy is conserving Vieques' </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>natural resources from the development juggernaut.
</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>While m<FONT face=Arial size=2>ost of us find it hard
enough to maintain some level of objectivity in discussions about
nutrients, </FONT>Edwin Hernandez, a Puerto Rican marine biologist, made
some well defended points to this list on the Vieques issue. </FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Edwin and his coral reef research team spend many hours
underwater monitoring coral reefs in Culebra and Fajardo while listening.. and
feeling... the underwater blasts of reefs being destroyed near Vieques -- those
sounds which one U.S. Senator so cavalierly (and ironically) described as "The
Sounds of Freedom." </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>A civilian is dead and four others injured. For us,
and for the people of Puerto Rico, it is too late for more Navy promises.
We hope that the events soon to follow with those individuals camping in an act
of civil disobedience on the target range do not result in further loss of life.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Currently President Clinton is in the process of
deciding one thing....is it in the interest of National Security to continue
bombing the island of Vieques...with either live and/or inert ordnance? To our
knowledge, all of Clinton's National Security advisors are either retired or
current military personnel. </FONT></P><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P>The Navy is not managing a Nature Reserve on Vieques by any stretch of the
imagination. </P></FONT>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial>What the U.S. Navy is doing to this fragile and
biologically diverse tropical ecosystem, as well as the poor community
inhabiting the island, is far from sustainable in terms of natural resources, or
ethical in terms of human rights. If this island is so crucial to National
Security, as the Navy once similarly claimed of Culebra, why did the Navy so
carelessly violate its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the people of
Puerto Rico? Dr. James Porter of the University of Georgia recently surveyed
coral reefs in the target area on Vieques on behalf of the government of
Puerto Rico. In a letter dated August 27, 1999 to Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of
Interior, Dr. Porter wrote the following: </FONT></P></FONT>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>"We found substantial evidence that military activity
on Vieques is contributing to the degradation of the island's coral reefs. To
make matters worse, we also found physical evidence that the Navy has not lived
up to its 1983 Memorandum of Understanding not to target or shell offshore coral
reefs. Despite signing this MOU, the Navy is in fact still targeting objects
positioned on the reef, and believe me, we saw and documented clear signs of
coral reef destruction from this bombardment." </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>We have possibly contributed to the confusion
regarding sustainable development issues springing up on this topic. For years
we have been expressing concerns to both Reef Relief and to CMC regarding Puerto
Rico's construction driven economy and government incentives which propel what I
would describe as rampant and reckless development. Many scientists on this list
have been to Puerto Rico and witnessed the impacts to our reefs from such
non-sustainable practice first hand. Our sediment clogged rivers and decimated
reef systems surrounding the big island are a testament to the ineffective job
local government and indeed organizations like ours are doing to conserve our
coastal resources. Local non-government environmental groups in Puerto
Rico are admittedly spread very thin. The government of Puerto Rico passes new
laws whose objetive is to exclude meaningful public participation and most
recently the need to submit an EIS for developments which
are "fast tracked" through government offices. We are at constant odds with
local and federal government agencies involved in resource conservation, as our
mission is strictly one of conservation and their motives often seem less
clearly definable. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>It is of no surprise conservation orgs have not been
effective when the only course of action at both the local and federal
government levels is to go to court to get government agencies to enforce their
own environmental laws. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial>It is also significant that we are united with
our local government on this one issue - to stop the bombing of Vieques.
</FONT></P></FONT>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>As Edwin Hernandez mentioned, there is a
multi-disciplinary group of local scientists, engineers and professors now
drafting management plans WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY of Vieques, to address toxic
clean up, conservation management planning and limited sustainable development -
if the Navy leaves. This team represents real planning talent with the interest
of both the people of Puerto Rico and of conserving their natural heritage. What
is of concern is that there are no guarantees this panel's recommendations will
be considered or implemented by local government. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>This, however, in no way influences our conviction
that the Navy must stop bombing Vieques. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Puerto Rico is not the only place where greed and
short sighted planning has resulted in the destruction of coral reefs
or other diverse ecosystems. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Puerto Rico is the only place where intense
evaluation of weapons systems for the U.S. Navy and NATO forces is conducted and
concentrated in diverse tropical ecosystems on a small island with over 9,000
inhabitants. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>We encourage others involved in coral reef
conservation issues to fax President Clinton, if you have not already taken
action. We live and work in Puerto Rico and recognize this as the first
important step toward the community of Vieques achieving their conservation
objectives on the biologically diverse, tropical island of Vieques. Let the
President know we simply do not have the luxury, if we ever had, of targeting
fragile ecosystem with either live or inert ordnance. </FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sincerely, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mary Ann Lucking</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Project Coordinator</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>CORALations </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>PMB 222</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>5900 Isla Verde Ave. L2</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Carolina, PR 00979-4901</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="mailto:corals@caribe.net">corals@caribe.net</A></FONT></DIV>
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