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Groups say they will sue to protect beluga whales

By DAN JOLING, Associated Press
Published: January 31, 2020, 8:19pm
2 Photos
File - In this August 2009, file photo, provided by the Department of Defense, a Cook Inlet beluga whale calf, left, and an adult breach near Anchorage, Alaska. Two environmental groups gave formal notice Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, that they will sue to protect endangered Alaska beluga whales from oil and gas operations. The Center for Biological Diversity and Cook Inletkeeper gave notice they will sue the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for violating the Endangered Species Act by not protecting Cook Inlet belugas. Formal 60-day noticed is required before the agency can be sued.
File - In this August 2009, file photo, provided by the Department of Defense, a Cook Inlet beluga whale calf, left, and an adult breach near Anchorage, Alaska. Two environmental groups gave formal notice Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, that they will sue to protect endangered Alaska beluga whales from oil and gas operations. The Center for Biological Diversity and Cook Inletkeeper gave notice they will sue the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for violating the Endangered Species Act by not protecting Cook Inlet belugas. Formal 60-day noticed is required before the agency can be sued. (Christopher Garner/Department of Defense via AP, File) (NOAA Fisheries file photo) Photo Gallery

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Two environmental groups gave formal notice Friday that they will sue to protect endangered Alaska beluga whales from problems caused by oil and gas operations.

The announcement came three days after a federal agency said the population of white whales is declining faster than previously thought.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Cook Inletkeeper said they will sue the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for violating the Endangered Species Act by not protecting Cook Inlet belugas. The formal 60-day noticed is required before the agency can be sued.

The groups contend that the agency’s authorization for a petroleum company, Hilcorp Alaska LLC, to “take” marine mammals incidental to its oil and gas operations in Cook Inlet is harming whales.

The definition of “take” includes harassment or any sort of harm. The agency should not allow any take of Cook Inlet belugas until it can ensure their recovery, the groups said.

“The tragic decline of these lovely little whales spotlights the risk of allowing oil exploration in their habitat,” said Julie Teel Simmonds, a Center for Biological Diversity attorney.

Seismic blasting used in petroleum exploration can reach 250 decibels and be heard for miles, the groups said. It can cause hearing loss in marine mammals, disturb feeding and breeding, interrupt whales’ communications and reduce their ability to catch fish, according to the notice.

NOAA Fisheries spokeswoman Julie Speegle said by email the agency does not comment on pending litigation. A Hilcorp spokesman had no immediate comment.

Cook Inlet stretches 180 miles from Anchorage to the Gulf of Alaska. Cook Inlet petroleum supplies energy for Alaska’s largest city and other communities.

All five U.S. beluga whale populations are in Alaska.

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