I’m really not seeing this as a bad thing, from an environmental standpoint. I do have a concern as to the expansion which is 7 fold
(Washington Post) President Obama on Tuesday will announce his intent to make a broad swath of the central Pacific Ocean off-limits to fishing, energy exploration and other activities, according to senior White House officials.
The proposal, slated to go into effect later this year after a comment period, could create the world’s largest marine sanctuary and double the area of ocean globally that is fully protected.
Obama has used his executive authority 11 times to safeguard areas on land, but scientists and activists have been pressing him to do the same for untouched underwater regions. President George W. Bush holds the record for creating U.S. marine monuments, declaring four during his second term, including the one that Obama plans to expand.
Under the proposal, according to two independent analyses, the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument would be expanded from almost 87,000 square miles to nearly 782,000 square miles — all of it adjacent to seven islands and atolls controlled by the United States. The designation would include waters up to 200 nautical miles offshore from the territories.
President Bush did a good thing with his designation, and Obama should likewise be applauded, though, again, there is a concern in the size. Republicans should be wary of going to far in condemnation
“It’s another example of this imperial presidency,†House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) said in an interview, noting that Obama established a National Ocean Policy during his first term to coordinate competing interests at sea. “If there are marine sanctuaries that should be put in place, that should go through Congress.â€
He’s exactly right, but, pick the battles over his imperialist tendencies. Here’s where Team Obama runs off the rails
(Fox News) The White House’s Council on Environmental Quality said the waters in the south-central Pacific Ocean contain “some of the most pristine tropical marine environments in the world.”
“These tropical coral reefs and associated marine ecosystems are also among the most vulnerable areas to the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification,” the White House said in a statement.
Sigh. Can’t we just protect the environment for environmental sakes, instead of this dumbass climate change mular
As a former fisheries biologist, I disagree with you here. First, a federal national protection is not needed. Second, why ban energy exploration? Drilling rigs in of themselves dont really do much damage to the larger area of lease. Third, if there is an issue with fishing, then limits on fishing areas can be imposed separately. Fourth, this is entirely about doing something to combat the climate changing. They think. Fifth, it is only a matter of more federal expansion of areas held by the Feds. Sixth, stopping fishing and energy exploration\drilling in these areas does NOTHING AT ALL about CO2 levels. And absolutely does nothing about the levels of heat in the atmosphere or oceans. Seventh, Wonder what the people on these islands think about them being stopped from fishing those areas?
Bet next year that Obama will sell, or allow ,those oil\gas lease areas to be developed by foreign countries.
Again, this is more about federal “land” grabs than it is to protect the environment.
balls,
I agree with you. I used to work offshore and can assure you that rigs do nothing to the environment. In fact, all the fishermen would come to our rig as that was were the fish could be found.
Jeff has already said that the oceans are not acidic and can not come up with a reasonable formula for further acidification. I know he has reviewed all the climate stuff so there is really nothing to the climate concern.
This all is part of Obama trying to destroy the US. Also, as you noted, if we don’t drill, then China will and they have started in our absence in the Gulf.
Destroys commerce? Check.
Increases government control of public lands? Check.
Arbitrary legislative use of executive orders? Check.
Got all the earmarks of the worst president in the history of the republic.
Nope, we don’t need to exempt any areas from oil exploration and drilling. Just another way for Obama to screw us.
Worst president ever.
Have any of you heard about this? I just read it in my last Newsmax, could be interesting.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Japanese-fire-ice-could-spark-global-energy-revolu-30232670.html
Yeah, methane hydrates have been around for several decades. But no real solution exists to “mine” the frozen methane. Love how the story says that the “ice traps the methane.” Actually the ice is the methane.
And, no, it does not surprise me that Obama would turn down a growing business opportunity to make our country some money – by selling Nat Gas to Japan. Goes right in line to his administration’s plank of driving away business and killing the energy sector.