Target: Jessica Bowron, Acting Director of National Park Service
Goal: Neutralize danger posed by reflecting pool algae blooms and enact safeguards for area wildlife.
For weeks, controversy has “bloomed” around unapproved 15 million-dollar renovations the president ordered to Washington, DC’s Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Just days after the unveiling of the newly painted pond, large chunks of peeling paint and seeming algae blooms marred the site. While the president made unverified claims about vandalism (claiming that unidentified individuals somehow made football field-sized gashes in the public attraction) and ordered arrests, scrutiny emerged about the company (beneficiaries of a no-bid contract) who undertook the renovations. Now the drama has taken a tragic turn.
Video first circulated of a deceased duckling floating dead atop the algae-ridden water. A few days later, two ducks were found dead in a nearby pond…likely not a coincidence since birds frequently travel between the two water areas. Wildlife experts have expressed concern that cyanobacteria produced from the algae blooms could have caused the animals’ deaths. The toxin can be harmful to any living being that comes into contact with it. This controversy has played out against a larger backdrop of the ducks’ habitats being disrupted for months during the president’s construction projects. The number of ducks visiting the reflecting pool and other small bodies of water has dropped significantly.
Sign the petition below to demand officials prioritize steps that will keep local wildlife safe from this health hazard.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Acting Director Bowron,
Wildlife trackers and avian experts have conveyed months-long difficulties in accessing areas around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. As a consequence, at least three ducks have died just as algae blooms have covered the pool’s surface. These blooms pose a health threat not only to wildlife but to humans as well.
Conduct tests on the deceased animals to identify causes of death, then take measures (driven by the input of professionals) to ensure these ecological dangers do not harm another living being. In the longer-term, consider advised remedies such as the introduction of wildlife escape ramps to help visitors to these iconic aquatic sites maintain a safe habitat and migration route.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Ramakanth Chilekampalli
