HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 99-74 RESOLUTION NO. 99-74
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA,
CALIFORNIA, URGING THE MITSUHISHI CORPORATION IMMEDIATELY
AND PERMANENTLY TO WITHDRAW ITS PLANS TO CONSTRUCT A SALT
WORKS PLANT AT LAGUNA SAN IGNACIO IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE
LAST REMAINING BREEDING GROUND IN THE WORLD FOR THE
CALIFORNIA GRAY WHALES AND OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES
WHEREAS, Mitsubishi Corporation, through a subsidiary known as
Exportada de Sal, S.A. (ESSA), plans to build the world's largest salt factory in
Mexico's Laguna San Ignacio, and
WHEREAS, Laguna San Ignacio is the last pristine breeding and calving
area in the entire world for California Gray Whales as well as home to numerous
other diverse species sUch as the endangered prong-horned antelope, burrowing
owls, sea lions, and black sea turtles; and
WHEREAS, Laguna San Ignacio was designated as a whale sanctuary by
Mexico in 1976 included within the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in 1988, and
listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1993; and
WHEREAS, the proposed building of the largest salt factory in the world
will inevitably cause toxic contamination, increased noise and ship traffic, altered
drainage patterns and other drastic environmental disturbances which may force
mother Gray Whales and their calves from their last remaining breeding lagoon;
and
WHEREAS, in three years, two major spills of toxic brine from a Mitsubishi
salt works in nearby Guerrero Negro have killed more than 94 endangered sea
turtles; and
WHEREAS, a Mexican government audit conducted in 1995-96 revealed 298
environmental deficiencies in the existing Guerrero Negro salt works facility, which
to date remains uncorrected; and
WHEREAS, the permanent flooding of 116 square miles of an area
designated as a UN World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, is both illegal
according to Mexican law and a mockery of international environmental
protections; and
WHEREAS, thirty four of the world's most distinguished scientists including
nine Nobel laureates, have warned of an "unacceptable risk' to significant biological
resources in and around Laguna San Ignacio; and
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Resolution No. 99-74
WHEREAS, over 750,000 people around the world have sent petitions and
letters to the President of Mitsubishi urging him to abandon the proposed salt
works; and
WHEREAS, a Mexican-led international coalition of over 50 concerned
environmental organizations including Grupe de los Cien, Pro Esteros, Union de
Grupos Ambientalistas, Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental, Consejo Para la
Defensa de la Costa del Pacifico, and Greenpeace Mexico, together with the
International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Natural Resource Defense Council,
have established a coalition to save Laguna San Ignacio; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Saratoga City Council
does hereby urge the Mitsubishi Corporation to immediately and permanently
withdraw its plans to construct a salt works plant at Laguna San Ignacio in order to
preserve the last remaining breeding ground in the world for the California Gray
Whale and other endangered species; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOVLED that the Saratoga City Council hereby
directs City staff to investigate and report to the City Council on the number and
types of contracts between the City of Saratoga and Mitsubishi Corp. and any of its
subsidiaries and, to the maximum extent practicable, to cease entering new
contracts between the City of Saratoga and the Mitsubishi Corporation and any of
its subsidiaries.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of
Saratoga on the 15th day of December 1999 by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Waltonsmith, Baker, Streit, Mehaffey, Mayor Bogosian
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
Stan Bogosian, Mayor
ATTEST:
mos, CMC, City Clerk
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