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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0449.038 2000-2002 7 From: Light Worker Centel (Lanny and Margr_ Rose Sinkin) fmailto:li~ht{a~,iihawaii.:~etj , .Sent Fri~da.~=, Jan=~~.~y 0;~, °?n~J2 3:37 P1VI . To: "Light Worker Center" Subject: LFA - I1~~GENT ACTION ALERT-' Today I learned that a resolution we have been working to bring to the Hawai' i County Council is scheduled for a vote in the Committee on Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations on TUESDAY, JANUARY 8. While the Whereas ~~iording ended up with -some weakening changes, the Therefore is clear opposition to deployment of SURTI~SS LFA..~ All members of the County Council serve on this committee. For those living on the Island of Irlaw-ai'i, please call your Council representative on Monday (961-8255) to urge: passage of this resolution-and, if you can, fax a message to: Chairman Leningrad Elarionoff and Members of the Committee on Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations urging passage of this resolution (961-8912). For those off island who would like to urge passage of this resolution, you can call or fax (area code- 80g) as well, If yoLl are an organization that. has taken a position on this issue, please send a summary of your organization's position. Please keep all fax message short (no more -than one page). I will be providing some more lengthy documents, such as the recent report on the {,'.,J Bahamas, although the members will have little time to review those ~ s~ documents before Tuesday. . ~ t::~ If this resolution passes the cornr~aittec, the matter moves to-the Council for a final vote, usually two weeks later. c ~ . _ Julie Jacobson, the only Green Farty member of the Coursty Council, s-~, introduced this resolution. You can send her a note of thanks to {.n~ iacobs cr,h~ea.or~. { Again, the vote is Tuesday, so messages need to be sent in on Monday. A RESOLUTION OPPOSING T~ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'S DEPARTMENT OF TI-IE NAVY' S PROPOSED DEPLOYMENT OF SURVEILLANCE TOWED ARRAY SENSOR SYSTEM LOW FRE(3L~~=CY ACTIVE (SURTASS LFA) SONAR 1r lI~ spa fn ~~m. pia E WHEREAS, the United States Navy is requesting a Letter of Authorization from the National Marine Fisheries Service under the Marine.Matntnal Protection Act (MMPA) in order to facilitate its proposed Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar program;;and WHEREAS, the Navy states that the proposed SURTASS LFA sonar program would meet the need for improved detection of foreign submarines, thereby providing the Navy wi~l: adequate tip t® react to, and defend against, submarine warfare; and WHEREAS, during employment, the:proposed SURTASS LFA sonar systems would introduce low-frequency acoustic signals -into tlae world's oceans that could potentially affect marine life; and WHEREAS, the protection: of whales and other marine mammals is of great concern to the citizenry of the County- of Hawai' i; and WHEREAS, the protection and preservation of the ocean and marine mammals that inhabitthe ocean ire of great cultural and historical- significance in , . Hawai' i; and WHEREAS, the scientific and environmental communities are virtually unanimous in their opposition to the SURT.'~SS LFA sonar program because of its questionable national security benefits and tl~e hazards it presents to marine mammals; and WHEREAS, according to the Navy's own test results, certain Iow frequency sonar levels may have harrz4ul effects on humans who swim or dive in nearby waters; and WHEREAS, the protection of rraarine life in 1-lawai'i's waters is not just an ecological, biological, or cultural concern, but also a matter of economic necessity because a healthy ocean environment. is an engine that drives I-Iawai`i°svisitor-driven economy; and WH11~A S, the County of Hawai' i intends f®r this. resolution to express its opposition to the proposed deployment of the SURTASS LFA sonar. . NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI' I, that it hereby opposes the United States Navy's proposed deployment of Surveillance Towed Aria3i Sensor System (SU'RTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar progran-i unless and until scientific evidence can establish that no harmf€:1 effects will result (roan:-the program. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council requests that the National Iddat°ixae I r 4 Fisheries Service reject the United States of America Department of the Navy 's application for a Letter of Authorization to deploy the SURTASS LFA sonar. I3E IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copf es of this resolution be transmitted to President George W. Bush, Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Representative Neil Abercrombie, Representative Patsy Mink, GoveYnor Eenjamin Cayetano, Mayor Harry Kim, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Dated at , Hawai' i, this day of , 2002. Introduced by: Julie Jacobson Council Member, County of Hawai' i .