Salmon eggs may not survive these changes in the streams' water temperature, oxygen content and gravel type. Bears, eagles, and many other animals and birds depend on salmon for their survival. So do indigenous people, salmon fishermen, and the salmon industry. Last year ECA members wrote to U.S. President Clinton, asking him to stop using plutonium to make electricity on space flights. We asked the president to stop the Cassini space mission because it was going to carry 72 pounds of plutonium to Saturn.
Plutonium is the most toxic chemical on earth.
If there had been an accident during the launch, the plutonium could have poisoned land, water, animals and people in Florida, the Bahamas and the Atlantic Ocean. On August 12 a Titan 4 rocket exploded 40 seconds after lift-off at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Titan 4 is the same rocket that launched Cassini just 9 months ago. In the next 15 years, NASA plans to launch up to eight space missions that will carry plutonium to make electricity. They will also be launched on Titan 4 rockets.