It’s a simple choice, really. Do we want our National Marine Sanctuaries to be used for recreation, education, fishing and ecological protection? Or do we want to hand these ocean gems over the oil and gas industry so they can expand offshore drilling off our coasts? For the past six months, the federal administration has been studying this very question.
Following the Trump administration’s Executive Order: The America First Energy Strategy, the Department of Commerce began a review of five National Marine Sanctuaries (including all four off California’s coast) and six Marine Monuments to determine if these sites might be exploited for energy development. As part of the process, they invited the public to share their thoughts on the matter.
The input received was unequivocal: don’t mess with our sanctuaries! According to an analysis by the Marine Conservation Institute, roughly 99 percent of public comments collected at regulations.gov expressed support for maintaining Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments as they currently exist.
In all, nearly 100,000 citizens spoke out on the issue, demonstrating broad and diverse support for sanctuaries including Channel Islands, Monterey Bay, Cordell Bank and the Greater Farallones.
Moreover, seven coastal counties in California, from Ventura […]
Full article: Marine Sanctuaries: The Secret Report the White House Doesn’t Want You to Read
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