Comment from Lopez, Victoria
Victoria LopezOpposeIndividual
Summary: An individual is opposing the proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization for polar bears in the Prudhoe Bay Area. The commenter expresses concern that the proposed activities will lead to the mortality of polar bears, specifically citing risks of vehicle collisions, den collapse, and cub abandonment.
Please don't allow these activities to take place, because I worry that Polar Bears will be killed in the process. The following comes from the document about this very proposed rule under the Lethal Take section: "Human activity may result in biologically significant impacts to polar bears. In the most serious interactions ( e.g., vehicle collision, running over an unknown den causing its collapse), human actions can result in the mortality of polar bears. We also note that in the past, while not considered incidental, polar bears have been killed in situations where there is an imminent threat to human life. Polar bears have also been accidentally killed during efforts to deter polar bears from a work area for safety, and have died from direct chemical exposure (81 FR 52276, August 5, 2016). If unintentional disturbance of a female polar bear by human activity during the denning season caused the female to abandon her cubs in the den before the cubs can survive on their own, incidental lethal take of polar bear cubs would occur."
That is why I urge you not to go through with these proposed activities. Please protect the Polar Bears from harm and destruction. Polar Bears are precious and their lives deserve protection. Please don't do anything unnecessary. Please protect the Polar Bears and help them to live in peace and safety.