President Obama Proposes to Create World’s Largest Marine Sanctuary in the Pacific

Environment California

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Obama administration proposed to create the world’s largest marine sanctuary by expanding the existing Pacific Remote Islands National Monument.

Under the president’s proposal, more of the Pacific Ocean will be off-limits to overfishing, pollution, drilling and actions that could disrupt this pristine ocean area. In addition to the expansion of the monument, he also set forth a plan to designate more marine sanctuaries in the Pacific.

“I applaud President Obama’s proposal to expand the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument,” said Nathan Weaver, Oceans Advocate with Environment California.  “It is a great thing that more pristine ocean and Pacific ecosystems will be protected. But it’s also important that President Obama not open new areas of ocean to drilling under his recently announced planning process for offshore leasing from 2017 to 2022. It’s critical he keep our Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic coasts safe from the kinds of environmental and economic devastation the BP oil spill brought to the Gulf of Mexico.”

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Environment California is a state-based, citizen-funded, environmental advocacy organization working toward a cleaner, greener, healthier future.

www.EnvironmentCalifornia.org