August 1, 2013
Letter to the Editor: Dolphin Dies After Beaching in Ocean City
To the editor:
This letter is in response to the July 24 article titled, “Dolphin dies after beaching in Ocean City.”
I was deeply dismayed to read about a bottlenose dolphin beaching itself and dying, and even more upset to read that there have been an increase in the number of strandings this summer. It frightens me to think that strandings like this could soon become a common sight on beaches along the entire East Coast.
The Department of Interior is currently considering a proposal to allow seismic air gun testing in the Atlantic, from Florida to Delaware to search for oil deposits. Seismic air gun testing would also be the first step to allowing offshore drilling areas along the East Coast. Seismic air guns emit dynamite-like blasts every 10 seconds for days, weeks, or months on end. The Department of Interior estimates that more than 138,000 whales and dolphins could be injured, beached, or even die as a result.
We don’t need more dirty and dangerous offshore drilling, and we don’t need more dolphins and whales washing up on our beaches. Let’s call on the Department of the Interior to protect our marine life and stop seismic air gun testing before it begins.
Lydia Geschiere
Washington, D.C.
Please help us save tens of thousands of marine mammals from deafening, injury, or even death.Sign and share our letter urging President Obama to reject seismic airgun testing.Thank you!