Urgent Petition to help save Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park & Reef System

Howdy Folks

Here in Baja California Sur, Mexico we are facing the possible destruction of one of only 4 full reef systems in North America, the Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park and World Heritage Bio Reserve (UNESCO/United Nations program) and one which is vital for sustaining the balance of marine and other life forms in the Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez, thee most bio diverse body of water on the face of the earth and which affects the entire Pacific Basins marine habitat.

It is urgent that we get this petition out to the maximum number of people worldwide as possible and that they sign and send it to the President of Mexico and related Federal officials. This is easily facilitated via the Petition Website and simply needs to be filled out and hit the send button.

Please post this to your Social Networks, forward to friends on your mailing list(s) and publish/post wherever possible. It would also help if any recipients of this with news media contacts make them aware of this effort and the imperative of its' success.

From past history we know that it takes about 100,000 such signatures sent to the Mexican Federal Government in order for them to take action in such events.

http://www.cabopulmovivo.org/portal/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=1&Itemid=45&lang=es

Walk in Peace

Rainbow Hawk

P.S.: If you don't read Spanish here is an English translation of the petition (We would appreciate translations in all languages should you be willing to volunteer for that and send them to: rainbow_gathering@yahoo.com): If you cannot read the box for submitting the form: Nombre(s) = First Name(s) ; Appellido(s) = Last Name(s); Cuidad = City; Estado = State; and Correo Electronico = Email:

Petition translation in English

We, the undersigned, respectfully request the immediate revocation of permits for the construction of the resort property "Cabo Cortés " consisting of 3,655 hotel rooms and more than 7,800 residences (a total of 30,000 rooms ), 2 golf courses with 27 holes and a marina adjacent Cabo Pulmo National (Marine) Park, Municipality of Los Cabos.

Our reasons are as follows:... See More

• The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) filed by the company contains false claims and the authorizations issued by SEMARNAT do not respect existing environmental legislation.

• The project presents a serious threat to Cabo Pulmo National Park, which houses the richest ecosystem and with greatest abundance in the Gulf of California and, furthermore, represents one of the clearest successes of restoration of a marine area in the country.

• The Cabo Cortés project is inconsistent with the provisions of existing ecological regulations in the region, such as the Ecological Management Plan of the Municipality of Los Cabos and Management Program for Cabo Pulmo National Park.

• The project also violates international commitments made by Mexico, endangering an ecosystem designated as a priority site for conservation of wetlands (RAMSAR Convention) and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

• The main impacts this project presents include reef sedimentation caused by construction of a marina for 490 boats, disruption to marine life caused by discharges from the desalinization plant and other debris, alterations to the coastline by sand dune modification and loss of important beaches for sea turtle nesting.

• In Baja California Sur water is scarce. That is why the Los Cabos Ecological Management Plan provides that each new development must ensure its own supply of water. The water concession by the CAN [National Commission of Water] to Cabo Cortés represents an amount equivalent to what 82,000 people consume in a single day.

We are convinced that the only development that is sustainable is that which occurs without compromising our natural resources and the social wellbeing of our citizens. A project on the scale of Cabo Cortes (the largest that has been planned in Baja California Sur), so close to one of the best preserved marine ecosystems in the country, is contrary to any definition of sustainability.

The community of Cabo Pulmo, federal , state and municipal governments, academics, civic organizations, and thousands of people around the world have for 15 years invested human and material resources in the conservation of Cabo Pulmo. Today we have tangible results that make this a unique place in the world. Do not put what we have achieved at risk.

There is still time to correct this error. Do not let non-sustainable developments affect Cabo Pulmo National Park .

The first step is to revoke authorizations for the construction of the resort property "Cabo Cortés. "

Many thanks - Cabo Pulmo Alive!