March 24, 2005: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: NGO's: Animal Rights: Environment: US Newswire: "We have to pursue every avenue to prevent accidental oil spills and chronic oiling from occurring," says Fred O'Regan, IFAW president and CEO

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Swaziland: Special Report: Environmental Activist and Swaziland RPCV Fred O'Regan: February 9, 2005: Index: PCOL Exclusive: RPCV Fred O'Regan (Swaziland) : March 24, 2005: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: NGO's: Animal Rights: Environment: US Newswire: "We have to pursue every avenue to prevent accidental oil spills and chronic oiling from occurring," says Fred O'Regan, IFAW president and CEO

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-181-108.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.181.108) on Saturday, March 26, 2005 - 2:04 am: Edit Post

"We have to pursue every avenue to prevent accidental oil spills and chronic oiling from occurring," says Fred O'Regan, IFAW president and CEO

We have to pursue every avenue to prevent accidental oil spills and chronic oiling from occurring, says Fred O'Regan, IFAW president and CEO

"We have to pursue every avenue to prevent accidental oil spills and chronic oiling from occurring," says Fred O'Regan, IFAW president and CEO

Sixteen Years After Exxon Valdez Spill, Oil Continues to Kill Thousands of Seabirds Each Year

3/24/2005 10:04:00 AM

To: National Desk and Environment Reporter

Contact: Chris Cutter of the International Fund For Animal Welfare, 508-737-4623 or ccutter@ifaw.org

YARMOUTH PORT, Mass., March 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Sixteen years after the devastating Exxon Valdez spill, the deliberate and illegal discharge of oil from ships kills thousands of seabirds each year, according to IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare – http://www.ifaw.org ) . More seabirds are killed each year from illegal dumping than the total killed number killed in the Exxon Valdez spill.

Recently, after an accidental spill from an offshore rig near St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, it was discovered that passing ships had taken advantage of the pollution to dump oil waste into the sea. When hundreds of dead seabirds began washing up on shore, tests of the oil on the birds determined that it came from nine different sources other than the original oil rig spill.

"In busy Canadian shipping lanes off the coast of Newfoundland and other environmentally sensitive areas, it is estimated that more than 300,000 seabirds are killed each year due to deliberate oil dumping," says Kim Elmslie, campaign Coordinator in IFAW Canada.

In Canada, IFAW is working with other NGOs and lawmakers to encourage the passing of a bill, known as C-15, that increases penalties for companies that illegally dump waste oil at sea.

The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, caused when the tanker ran aground off Prince William Sound, was responsible for one of the world's biggest environmental disasters. The ensuing oil spill killed 250,000 seabirds, and thousands of other marine creatures including sea otters, whales and seals.

At the time IFAW's Emergency Relief team were involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of hundreds of seabirds oiled in the spill, and in the past six months alone IFAW and its partner the International Bird Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (IBRRC) have been called on to rescue seabirds oiled in spills in Mexico and Brazil.

In South Africa in 2000, IFAW helped rescue and successfully release 18,000 endangered African penguins oiled in the MV Treasure oil spill.

"Our oceans are awash with heavy shipping traffic which often illegally discharge waste oil at sea damaging marine and coastal resources," said Helen Dagut, Campaigns Manager for IFAW Southern Africa.

In Southern Africa, IFAW is supporting a number of initiatives aimed at heightening protection of South Africa's valuable marine resources from threats including oil. A proposal for the designation of a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area and Special Area off South Africa's coast, to tighten limits set on discharge of oil, is being driven by IFAW for acceptance by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). IFAW Southern Africa is also lobbying for the ratification of a number of international law instruments to ensure comprehensive international law protection for South Africa's marine resources.

A study of major shipping areas in North Atlantic waters is being developed to determine the extent of deliberate oil dumping, its effects on seabirds and to encourage Europe and Canada to increase monitoring and enforcement, and impose harsher penalties for polluters.

"We have to pursue every avenue to prevent accidental oil spills and chronic oiling from occurring," says Fred O'Regan, IFAW president and CEO.

"If we have learned anything in the 16 years that have passed since the Exxon Valdez disaster it is that prevention and preparedness are of paramount concern for the shipping industry and governments should ensure that deliberate dumping of oil cannot be tolerated."





When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:


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The Peace Corps Library Date: February 7 2005 No: 438 The Peace Corps Library
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Crisis Corps arrives in Thailand Date: March 20 2005 No: 530 Crisis Corps arrives in Thailand
After the Tsunami in Southeast Asia last December, Peace Corps issued an appeal for Crisis Corps Volunteers and over 200 RPCVs responded. The first team of 8 Crisis Corps volunteers departed for Thailand on March 18 to join RPCVs who are already supporting relief efforts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and India with other agencies and NGO's. 19 Mar 2005

March's Feature Stories - only on PCOL Date: March 20 2005 No: 523 March's Feature Stories - only on PCOL
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The Coyne Column: Read Winning Vanity Fair PCV Essay
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Photo Essay: Taking it to the Streets


March 19, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News Date: March 20 2005 No: 525 March 19, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News
New Jersey RPCVs host exhibit in Maplewood on April 2 20 Mar
Maryland RPCVs eat crab cakes in Annapolis 17 Mar
Illinois RPCVs present "Life on the Big Red Island" 13 Mar
San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar
Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar
Connecticut RPCVs held fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar
RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

March 19, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Date: March 20 2005 No: 526 March 19, 2005: This Week's Top Stories
RPCV points out catalytic effect of Iraq 19 Mar
PCVs set up Basketball pool in Ukraine 19 Mar
Sam Farr introduces bill to monitor ocean fisheries 18 Mar
Bridgeland does not rule out run for Congress 18 Mar
Jim Doyle promotes Institute for Discovery 18 Mar
Newspaper says Bangladesh is safe for PCVs 18 Mar
Joan Ruddiman revisits Peter Hessler's "River World" 17 Mar
Mark Schneider says Save Haiti from more violence 17 Mar
Troy Johnson joins delegation to Indonesia 17 Mar
Chris Shays says baseball not exempt from the law 17 Mar
"Hurlyburly" benefits gypsy women in Romania 15 Mar
Chris Matthews interviews Schwarzenegger 14 Mar
Fred Burke dies in NJ, trained early PCVs 13 Mar
Mike Honda introduces Student Privacy Protection Act 13 Mar
FT details Cheney-McPherson relationship 13 Mar
Tucker McCravy reports on Tsunami Reconstruction 10 Mar
Dennis Braddock retires with record of accomplishment 9 Mar

RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC Date: March 5 2005 No: 482 RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC
RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

Add your info now to the RPCV Directory Date: March 13 2005 No: 489 Add your info now to the RPCV Directory
Call Harris Publishing at 800-414-4608 right away to add your name or make changes to your listing in the newest edition of the NPCA's Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Former Staff. Then read our story on how you can get access to the book after it is published. The deadline for inclusion is May 16 so call now.

March 1: National Day of Action Date: February 28 2005 No: 471 March 1: National Day of Action
Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.
Make a call for the Peace Corps Date: February 19 2005 No: 453 Make a call for the Peace Corps
PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.


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Story Source: US Newswire

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Swaziland; NGO's; Animal Rights; Environment

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