Save Lake Baikal!

For over 50 years, the Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill has been dumping chlorine and dioxin byproducts into Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal holds 20% of the world's fresh water and is home to unique and fragile biodiversity. Join Pacific Environment and Baikal Environmental Wave in Irkutsk, Russia, in our efforts to close the mill!
Given the election of a new President and recently heightened interest on the part of the Russian State Environmental Agency to close the plant, it is a critical moment to show the support of the global community to close the mill. Sign on to our letter below asking Russia's president to take action to save Lake Baikal and close the mill!

Mr. Dmitry Medvedev President of the Russian Federation Staraya Ploshad, house 4 103132 Moscow Russia CC: Mr. Vladimir Putin Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Re: Lake Baikal and Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill Dear President Medvedev: I am writing to express my deep concern for the current threats to one of the most beautiful freshwater lakes in Russia and on the planet, Lake Baikal — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Baikal is a globally important natural treasure and is rightfully a source of pride for Russia. In order to protect the lake, I ask you to finally close down the Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill that is polluting the lake. Lake Baikal contains one-fifth of the planet’s fresh water and sustains very high levels of biodiversity. Over 80 percent of species in the Lake Baikal watershed are unique to the region and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill is polluting the pristine waters of Lake Baikal, as well as the health and wellbeing of local residents. For many years, the plant has discharged some of the most dangerous chemicals in the world — chlorine and associated dioxin byproducts — directly into the lake water. These chemicals travel up through the food chain and have toxic effects on fish, seals, and other animals. I understand that the pulp and paper mill is important for the local economy in Baikalsk, and local jobs are dependent upon the pulp and paper mill’s existence and performance. For this reason, I ask you to set up the planned Special Economic Zone for tourism and recreation in the city of Baikalsk and adjacent areas. Closing the plant and creating this tourist economic zone in Baikalsk will bring important benefits to the region. Not only will this action stop harmful pollution and associated impacts to human health and the environment, but increased tourism will create much needed jobs to the local economy, boost the growth of small businesses, and provide means for local residents for living healthy and productive lives. Thank you for your attention and I trust you will close the plant immediately. Sincerely,

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Tell us why you love Lake Baikal and think it should be saved!

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0-25 of 1008 signatures

Number	Date	Name	Tell us why you love Lake Baikal and think it should be saved!
1008	August 25, 2010	Carlo Zucchi
1007	August 24, 2010	Tolga Suslu
1006	May 26, 2010	kristina healy
1005	April 02, 2010	Anonymous
1004	April 02, 2010	Francisco Anta
1003	March 23, 2010	Sergey Melkumov	Lake Baikal it's our world's treasure
1002	March 23, 2010	Marina Rivkin	This is a unique and beautiful place. It need to be protected from damaging pollution!
1001	March 23, 2010	Marina Rivkin
1000	March 23, 2010	Ekaterina Balakireva
999	March 23, 2010	Ekaterina Balakireva
998	March 23, 2010	Ekaterina Balakireva
997	March 23, 2010	Ekaterina Balakireva
996	March 23, 2010	Ekaterina Balakireva
995	March 19, 2010	GP kollarson
994	March 19, 2010	Frances Saykaly	I saw a "Nova" documentary on Lake Baikal years ago, and besides the obvious environmental necessity of protecting it, the program has stayed in my memory, as it haunted me with its astonishing beauty.
993	February 05, 2010	John M. Wills	It's a critical part of that nation's environment, indeed that region. Wildlife depends on it, as does the eco system.
992	February 05, 2010	Anonymous	I love all lakes
991	February 05, 2010	Anonymous
990	February 05, 2010	Tina Chaney	It is very important to the world.
989	January 31, 2010	Catherine Carter
988	January 23, 2010	Anonymous	Lake Baikal is beautiful, but more importantly there are hundreds of endemic species that depend on the lake for their own survival, as well as hundreds more species that are waiting to be discovered. Baikal also contains one of the most important resources in the world, fresh water!! A resource that humans are using up too fast. Why would anybody want to pollute such a pristine environment?
987	January 14, 2010	MARK SALAMON
986	January 07, 2010
985	December 27, 2009	Kaji Kirupanithy
984	December 16, 2009	Dina Muellman

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