Res 99-090RESOLUTION NO. 99- 090
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF POWAY, CALIFORNIA
URGING MITSUBISHI CORPORATION TO WITHDRAW PLANS
FOR A SALT WORKS PLANT AT LAGUNA SAN IGNACIO
AND DIRECTING A REVIEW OF THE CITY'S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO
TO DETERMINE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT WITH MITSUBISHI CORPORATION
IN ORDER TO ASSESS CONSIDERATION OF DIVESTITURE
WHEREAS, Mitsubishi Corporation, through an entity known as Exportadora de Sal,
S.A. (ESSA), plans to build the world's largest salt factory in Mexico's Laguna San Ignacio
(LSI); and
WHEREAS, Laguna San Ignacio is the last pristine breeding and calving area in the
entire world for California Gray Whales and that its surroundings are also home to the
endangered prong-horned antelope, burrowing owls, sea lions, black sea turtles, and
countless other wildlife; and
WHEREAS, Laguna San Ignacio was designated a whale sanctuary by Mexico in 1976,
included within the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in 1988, and listed by UNESCO as a World
Heritage Site in 1993; and
WHEREAS, toxic contamination, noise, ship traffic, altered drainage patterns, and other
degradations at this huge industrial facility may force mother whales and their calves from their
age-old breeding lagoon; and
WHEREAS, in three years, two major spills of toxic brine from a Mitsubishi salt works
plant in nearby Guerrero Negro have killed more than 94 endangered sea turtles; and
WHEREAS, a Mexican government audit conducted in 1995-96 revealed 298
environmental deficiencies at the existing Guerrero Negro salt works plant, most of which
remain uncorrected; and
WHEREAS, the permanent flooding of 116 square miles of an area designated as a
World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve is both illegal according to Mexican law and a
mockery of international environmental protections; and
WHEREAS, 34 of the world's most distinguished scientists, including nine Nobel
Laureates, have warned of an "unacceptable risk" to significant biological resources in and
around Laguna San Ignacio; and
WHEREAS, over 750,000 people around the world have sent cards and letters to the
President of Mitsubishi urging him to abandon the proposed salt works plant; and
Resolution No. 99-090
Page 2
WHEREAS, a Mexican-led international coalition of over 50 concerned environmental
organizations including Grupo de los Cien, Union de Grupos Ambientalistas, Centro Mexicano
de Derecho Ambiental, and Consejo Para la Defensa de la Costa del Pacifico together with
the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Natural Resources Defense Council have
formed the Coalition to Save Laguna San Ignacio.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Poway that
the City of Poway will join the Campaign to Save Laguna San Ignacio in requesting that the
Mitsubishi Corporation immediately and permanently withdraw its plans to construct a salt
works plant at Laguna San Ignacio.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Poway direct that
there be no purchase of any financial instrument that includes Mitsubishi Corporation (Motors,
Electric, Estate Company, Mitsubishi Group, Heavy Industries, International, Materials, Paper
Mill, Ltd., Steel Manufacturing Company, etc.), Nipon Mitsubishi Oil Corporation, Bank of
Tokyo Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation, Kirin Beer, Nikon Corporation,
NYK, MC Information Systems and Services, Union Bank of California, Tokio Marine and Fire
Insurance, and Meiji Life Insurance; and that no mutual fund or other fund containing said
stock shall be purchased until Mitsubishi abandons its plans to build the salt works plant; and
that City of Poway staff is directed to analyze whether there are any current holdings in
Mitsubishi Corporation and its subsidiaries including mutual funds or other funds containing
said stock and to report those findings to the City Council including the impact of divestiture.
APPROVED and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Poway, State of
California, this 9th day of November 1999.
ATTEST:
L~ri ~,nne Peoples, City C~erk -
Resolution No. 99- 090
Page 3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
) SS.
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO )
I, Lori Anne Peoples, City Clerk of the City of Poway, do hereby certify under penalty of
perjury that the foregoing Resolution No. 99- 090 was duly adopted by the City
Council at a meeting of said City Council held on the 9th day of November 1999 and that it
was so adopted by the following vote:
AYES: EMERY, GOLDBY, HIGGINSON, REXFORD, CAFAGNA
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE