AT RISK: The 8 Ocean Parks Threatened by Trump’s Executive Orders
Published by Ocean Conservancy
In his first 100 days, President Trump announced two separate Executive Orders that put at risk special places on land and in the sea.
On April 28, 2017, he announced the Executive Order Implementing an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy, which takes aim at America’s marine monuments and sanctuaries.
All marine monuments and sanctuaries established or expanded in the last 10 years are under review:
Greater Farallones (California) and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (California) are two distinct sanctuaries but adjoin each other and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
- They were established more than 10 years ago and were expanded westward and northward in 2015. Under President Trump’s Executive Order, the sizeable expansion of both of these monuments in 2015 could be at risk. The expansions were not small. Gulf of Farallones went from approximately 1,282 square miles to approximately 3,295 square miles. Cordell Bank went from approximately 529 square miles to approximately 1,286 square miles.
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Hawaii)
- Under two separate Executive Orders from this week, both the original creation in 2006 and a significant expansion from 2016 are both under threat.Originally covering 140,000 square miles when first created by President George W. Bush, President Obama later “more than quadrupled Papahānaumokuākea’s size, to 582,578 square miles, an area larger than all the national parks combined.”
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve (Michigan)
- Created in 2000 and expanded in 2014.
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (Northeast)
- Established in September 2016 and the first national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean.
Mariana Trench Marine National Monument (Mariana Islands)
- Created in January 2009 just before President Bush left office.
Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (US minor Outlying Islands)
- Also created in 2009 (just before Bush left office), later expanded in 2014. Went from 83,000 square miles to 490,000 square miles. Both the creation and expansion of this monument are at risk under President Trump’s Executive Order.
- This monument is America’s second largest marine protected area.
Rose Atoll Marine National Monument (South Pacific, Samoa)
- Created in January 2009 just before Bush left office.
Americans care deeply about public lands and water. Conserving the special places in our ocean is not about a political party, it is about what we value as Americans. Please join us in speaking up for the ocean and taking action today.
Read the full article at: http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2017/04/28/at-risk-the-8-ocean-parks-threatened-by-trumps-executive-orders/
