Protect Bahamian wildlife from Disney’s greed!

Lighthouse Point on Eleuthera in the Bahamas is home to sea turtles, dolphins, and endangered coral reefs. It serves as safe passage for whales and migratory bonefish. But soon, its blush sand and turquoise waters will be filled with as many as 1 million visitors a year.

Disney has already begun preliminary preparations for a destructive new Disney Cruise Line development. Can we count on you to protect marine wildlife from Disney Cruise Line’s destruction?

BDEPP

Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning & Protection

Dear Bahamas Dept. of Environmental Planning & Protection,

I write to oppose the approval of any Disney Cruise Line development at Lighthouse Point on Eleuthera based on the current Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Numerous independent experts have reviewed Disney’s EIA and state that it is an unacceptable document and is filled with gaps and oversights. This is a major decision for the future of Eleuthera and The Bahamas. Disney and the government need a comprehensive and science-based EIA in order to make an informed decision about such a major project.

The EIA has major omissions including:

•	The EIA ignores serious “climate risks” from the project, even though The Bahamas is one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change and sea-level rise.
•	The EIA identifies a number of significant impacts to wildlife but does not mention any potential measures to avoid or mitigate those significant impacts.
•	The EIA does not even mention that the waters surrounding Lighthouse Point are so rich in marine life that they have been officially proposed as a “Marine Protected Area”.  
•	The EIA lacks any meaningful study of vital migratory pathways around Lighthouse Point for important species, including bonefish, groupers, and sharks.
•	The EIA fails to consider the environmental impacts of 20,000 visitors a week to its proposed day resort — it only addresses the construction of the project. 
•	The EIA fails to detail the number of ships that will dock at the proposed development annually or what Disney’s plans are for increases in the number and size of ships in the future.
•	The EIA asserts that the project will have many economic benefits for Eleuthera and The Bahamas, but doesn't provide any data or analyses to back up these claims.
•	The EIA doesn’t address the threat of COVID-19 or future pandemics, which is critical considering Eleuthera's limited infrastructure and lack of a hospital.

Please require Disney to withdraw the current EIA, conduct additional studies and consultations to fill these gaps, and submit a new draft EIA. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First name} {user_data~Last name}
{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Postcode}

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