HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 00-042 N.C.S. 03/06/2000 1 Ides®lution N®. 00-4 2 I~T.C. S.
2 of the City of Petaluma, California
3
4
5 RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE LACUNA SAN
6 IGNACIO, BAJA, MEXICO, THE LAST PRISTINE BREEDING AND CALVING AREA
~ IN THE WORLD FOR THE CALIFORNIA GRAY WHALE
8
9
10 WHEREAS, Mitsubishi Corporation, through an entity known as Exportadora de Sal,
11 S.A. (ESSA), plans to build the world's largest salt factory in Mexico's Laguna San Ignacio; and
12
13 WHEREAS, Laguna San Ignacio is the last pristine breeding and calving area in the
14 entire world for California Gray Whales and that its surroundings are also home to the
15 endangered prong-horned antelope, burrowing owls, sea lions, black sea turtles, and countless
16 other wildlife; and
17
18 WHEREAS, Laguna San Ignacio was designated a whale sanctuary by Mexico in 1976,
19 included within the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in 1988, and listed by UNESCO as a World
20 Heritage Site in 1993; and
21
22 WHEREAS, toxic contamination, noise, ship traffic, altered drainage patterns, and other
23 degradations this huge industrial facility will bring may force mother whales and their calves
24 from their age-old breeding lagoon; and
25
26 WHEREAS, in three years, two major spills of toxic brine from a Mitsubishi saltworks in
27 nearby Guerrero Negro have killed more than 94 endangered sea turtles; and
28
29 WHEREAS, a Mexican government audit conducted in 1995-96 revealed 298
30 environmental deficiencies at the existing Guerrero Negro saltworks facility, most of which
31 remain wicorrected; and
32
Resolution No. OO-4 ~ N.C.S. Page 1 Of 2
1 WHEREAS, the permanent flooding of 116 square miles of an area designated as a UN
2 World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve is both illegal according to Mexican law and a
3 mockery of international environmental protections; and
4
5 WHEREAS, thirty-four of the world's most distinguished scientists, including nine Nobel
6 Laureates, have warned of an "unacceptable risk" to significant biological resources in and
7 around Laguna San Ignacio; and
8
9 WHEREAS, over 750,000 people around the world have sent cards and letters to the
10 President of Mitsubishi urging him to abandon the proposed saltworks; and
11
12 WHEREAS, aMexican-led international coalition of over 50 concerned environmental
13 organizations have formed the Coalition to Save Laguna San Ignacio.
14
15 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Petaluma, California, joins
16 the Campaign to Save Laguna San Ignacio in requesting that the Mitsubishi Corporation
17 immediately and permanently withdraw its plan to construct a saltworks at Laguna San Ignacio.
18
19 d:/manager/stoudedfs0200/kc
Under the power and authority conferred upon this Council by the Charter of said City.
REFERENCE: I hereby certify the foregoing Resolution was introduced and adopted by the Approved as to
Council of the City of Petaluma at a (Regular) (lt;]d~i~~cl) meeting form
on the ...fi:Lh.......•--..... day of ...........Dlarr_h.,.2L1D.Q........-•---------.., by the f ,
following vote: ~
C ty Attorney
AYES: ~ Gder-Thompson, Hamilton, Maguire, Vice Mayor Torliatt, Mayor Thompson
NOES: Healy
ABSENT: Keller - _
ATTEST: ~ .--..._y
City Clerk • ~ Ma
Cbunci! File
~ ~ ~~,-HS - ~z~s. N~,. 4. ~.-4:2........... rv.c.s. Page 2 of 2