To: Environmental Protection Agency

Protect Florida Panthers from the Oil Industry

With as few as 100 Florida panthers alive today, we can't allow additional threats from Big Oil and its machinery. I urge the EPA to deny the permit to drill a new, unneeded injection well less than one mile from the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Tell the EPA: Stop big oil from killing Florida panthers.Just this year, 12 panthers have been killed in Florida putting the state on path to exceed the average of 17 panthers killed annually by vehicles. Not only would this well increase vehicle traffic, it could potentially contaminate the ground and water Florida Panthers rely on. To make matters worse, the Texas company that is applying to drill this oil injection well is already in hot water over another well in the state of Florida. It has been fined $25,000 for acting outside the scope of the permitted activity at the well site. This company has already been accused of breaking the law once. We shouldn't allow it to put highly-endangered panthers at risk by letting its well proposal move forward. Will you join me and add your name to my petition urging the EPA to save Florida panthers from the oil industry? Thank you for your support.

Why is this important?

As a born-and-raised Florida resident, I have not once been able to see a Florida panther in the wild, nor have I ever heard their population numbers were not in jeopardy. After looking more into this I found that the leading cause of panther deaths in Florida is being struck by vehicles. This fact alone is heartbreaking, but the proposed oil drill waste disposal well would bring with it hundreds of truck trips that could harass or kill endangered Florida panthers, pushing them even closer to the brink of extinction. We should not entertain any plan that might bring new toxic threats to these already beleaguered cats or the habitat they need to survive. The EPA can still intervene to stop the oil waste injection well and save Florida panthers, but it won't do so unless there's a massive public outcry.