Have a nation-wide law to turn lights off near beaches during hatching time for turtles.

The Issue

In many states bordering the ocean, there are no laws against lighting situations during hatching seasons for sea turtles.  As these baby turtles hatch from their eggs, they depend on the moonlight to guide them to the ocean.  But city lights distract and confuse them, leading them in the wrong direction.  This can cause these baby sea turtles to get run over by vehicles or starve to death after falling into a sewer drain, if predators do not get to them first.  It is estimated that only 1 in 1,000 sea turtles make it to adulthood, which is why nearly all species of sea turtles are endangered.  City lights add to this number.  Together we can create laws devoted to lighting near beaches during sea turtle hatching season, such as "lights out" during a specific time and duration, or maybe switching to the use of low-pressure sodium-vapor lighting near beaches.

This petition had 1,104 supporters

The Issue

In many states bordering the ocean, there are no laws against lighting situations during hatching seasons for sea turtles.  As these baby turtles hatch from their eggs, they depend on the moonlight to guide them to the ocean.  But city lights distract and confuse them, leading them in the wrong direction.  This can cause these baby sea turtles to get run over by vehicles or starve to death after falling into a sewer drain, if predators do not get to them first.  It is estimated that only 1 in 1,000 sea turtles make it to adulthood, which is why nearly all species of sea turtles are endangered.  City lights add to this number.  Together we can create laws devoted to lighting near beaches during sea turtle hatching season, such as "lights out" during a specific time and duration, or maybe switching to the use of low-pressure sodium-vapor lighting near beaches.

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This petition had 1,104 supporters

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The Decision Makers

Grace Meng
U.S. House of Representatives - New York 6th Congressional District
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