SIGN NOW: STOP BIG CRUISE FROM KILLING MANATEES AND POLLUTING OUR PLANET

ONE-SIXTH of Florida’s manatees have been wiped out. And in 2023 alone, more than 500 of these gentle creatures met a tragic end! Why? Because of TOXIC pollution from the cruise industry. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Cruise ships run day in and day out, using 12 times the energy as a normal hotel. Their massive emissions are filling the air and water, killing off manatees' main food sources which can drive them to starvation. Even more, these emissions can intensify respiratory and other health complications for nearby coastal residents. This pollution is destroying the air, oceans and waterways that our precious marine life and coastal communities rely on for their survival. We must act NOW before it's too late.

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Dear EPA Administrator Regan,

We recently saw the deadliest year on record for Florida manatees. The numbers have hardly improved, and this threatened species continues to wither away at an alarming rate. The cruise industry is playing an unignorable role in pushing manatee populations to the brink of extinction, harming coastal communities, and polluting our waters. Today, I am calling on you to act.

As you know, cruise companies have polluted our air, water and climate – and while much of this pollution is legal, cruise companies are also responsible for significant illegal pollution. Right now, cruise ships the size of city blocks can dump exhaust gas scrubber wastewater into our oceans – contributing to the destruction of seagrass, an essential food source for many marine life and our ecosystem, and an important tool against storms for coastal communties. Furthermore, because these ships travel so close to shore, they can churn up sand and sedimentary pollution, which destroy vital habitats.

Please commit to addressing cruise ship pollution before we lose more endangered species and important marine biodiversity to corporate carelessness and greed. With the cruise industry seeing significant growth after the height of the pandemic, swift regulatory action is needed to avoid a continued increase in pollution-related degradation and wildlife death.

Thank you for your careful consideration,

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