Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt, representing Alabama, recently took the lead in a collective effort by members of the Alabama delegation to address concerns over a proposal to create a new and expanded critical habitat designation for the Rice’s whale. In a letter to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Richard Spinrad, the delegation articulated their reservations and urged NOAA to reconsider the proposal.
The central point of contention raised by Senator Britt and her colleagues in the Alabama delegation pertains to the lack of scientifically supported data to substantiate the necessity of an expanded critical habitat designation for the Rice’s whale. In their letter, the delegation expressed the need for sound scientific evidence to justify such an action.
“While protecting endangered species is a laudable goal, we are concerned at the lack of adequate scientific justification for NMFS’ proposed designation of additional critical habitat for the Rice’s whale,” the letter stated. It further highlighted that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) had provided limited studies that offered inconclusive scientific support to make conclusive determinations about the population and range of the Rice’s whale. Given this, the delegation argued that the proposed designation should not proceed until stronger scientific data is available.
In addition to their concerns about the critical habitat designation, the delegation also voiced objections to the content of the Rice’s whale petition filed by certain environmental groups. They deemed these proposals, which include restrictions on vessel transits at night, complete reporting of vessel plans to NMFS, and requirements for visual observers on all vessels, as detrimental to the Port of Mobile and Alabama’s economy, as well as harmful to commercial and recreational fishing operations along the Gulf Coast.
The delegation expressed reservations about these proposals, suggesting that the burdens they impose are not supported by current scientific evidence and could potentially have adverse and far-reaching consequences on the Alabama economy and the Gulf fishing industry.
Senator Britt stressed the lack of justification for the proposal and the potentially damaging consequences it could have on Alabama’s economy, particularly the Port of Mobile, which plays a critical role in the livelihoods of many Americans who rely on it for their daily goods and supplies.
Joining Senator Britt in signing the letter were Representatives Jerry Carl (AL-01), Barry Moore (AL-02), Mike Rogers (AL-03), Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Dale Strong (AL-05), and Gary Palmer (AL-06).
