Urgent Action Needed to Protect Wampanoag Sacred Sites

Posted January 19, 2010 By Nancy and has no comments yet.

Nantucket Sunrise is Sacred to Wampanoag

The Wampanoag Indian Tribe of Massachusetts have spiritual practices that require them to visit sacred sites with a clear view of the rising sun when they perform special ceremonies on the solstices and upon the death of elders. The Cape Wind project would compromise the natural integrity of a sacred site for the Wampanoags by industrializing their view of the rising sun.

The Cape Wind Farm’s plan is to build 130 wind turbines, each over 400 feet tall. The project would be several miles from the Cape Cod shoreline covering a 25-square-mile section of federal land.

Action is urgently needed before February 29, 2010. Please write to Secretary Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, Department of the Interior, 1849 C St NW, Washington, DC 20240; or email Secretary Salazar at feedback@ios.doi.gov; or telephone the Department at 202-208-3100.

Please make the following points:
1. The Wampanoag, People of the First Light, require an unobstructed view of Nantucket Sound in order to view the rising sun on solstices when they perform their sacred ceremonies and upon the passing of elders.
2. Wampanoag ancestral remains are buried in the Sound and the wind turbines would dis

For more information contact: the Wampanoag.

Other resources, including an excellent photo of the sound with proposed Wind Turbines, can be found at: The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound.

Categories: Environmental, Letters Needed, american indian, preservation
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Urgent Action Needed for Lascaux Cave

Posted November 9, 2009 By Nancy

Lascaux Bulls

The magnificent prehistoric painted cave of Lascaux, located near Montignac, France, is in serious danger of being destroyed. The paintings are deteriorating from an overgrowth of black spots from fungus and bacterial growth. You can read more about this at the International Committee for the Preservation of Lascaux.

Urgent-Action Letters are desperately needed to urge the French Minister of Culture to work with the International Committee for the Preservation of Lascaux. Send letters to: Mr. Frederic Mitterand, Minister of Culture, 3 Rue de Valois, 75033 Paris Cedex 01, France.

Please send polite letters making the following points: 1) Please convene a committee of international experts to develop a study on the causes of the damage. 2) An effective scientific treatment must immediately be developed and employed to stop the proliferation of black fungus. 3) There must be scientific supervision of the cave; this is immediately needed and needs to be part of the ongoing management of the site. 4) An overall management plan for the cave should be developed and implemented with independent expert monitoring.

Categories: Lascaux Cave, Letters Needed, Uncategorized, World Heritage Site, letter writing, policy, preservation
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Urgent Action Letters Needed

Posted August 5, 2009 By Nancy

A proposed wind turbine development, Pairc Wind Farm, is being planned for the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. It is near the sacred standing stone circles of Callanish. Reasons to oppose the development: 26 of the wind turbines will be visible from the stone circles. The pristine countryside will be torn up by roads bringing in equipment and turbines. Migrating birds will be killed by the turbines. The landscape is favored by hikers and other nature lovers.Write polite letters of protest to:Mr. Michael Russell MSP, Scottish Minister for Environment, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP, Scotland

Categories: Callanish Standing Stones, Letters Needed, Scotland, preservation