Earth, Something to be excited about (in not a good way)

The only freshwater seals in the United States
threatened by new mega-mine in Alaska

The Center for Biological Diversity is seeking endangered species designation for a unique seal population.   The mine is huge and there is a lot of money at stake.   It will be interesting to watch how this issue develops over the next few months.

In this 2011 photo provided by the National Marine Mammal Laboratory and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, seals are shown during the summer on Iliamna Lake in Alaska. An environmental group is seeking endangered species protection for Pacific harbor seals that live in an Alaska lake. The Center for Biological Diversity on Monday petitioned to list 250 to 350 seals that live in Iliamna Lake 200 miles southwest of Anchorage. Dave Withrow — AP

“The petition claims the seals are threatened by human-caused climate change that will affect both seals and salmon. The petition claims warming and ocean acidification are progressing in the Bering Sea and threaten plankton that ocean-going salmon need for food.

The petition also says warming will increase the temperature in salmon streams to harmful levels and will increase precipitation, threating salmon reproduction by washing away eggs. It also says activity connected to the mine 17 miles upstream from a favorite seal haul-out would disturb the animals during pupping and molting periods.

The Pebble Limited Partnership has called its deposit one of the largest of its kind in the world, with the potential of producing 80.6 billion pounds of copper, 107.4 million ounces of gold and 5.6 billion pounds of molybdenum.”  – Anchorage Daily News

Juneau Alaska • Bloomberg • About Pebble Mine • Huffington Post • Pebble Mine Partnership