Bush Creates Three Massive Ocean National Monuments
On Tuesday, President Bush created three new marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean. The newly protected areas will cover 195,280 square miles (roughly the size of Spain), and includes a series of isolated islands in the Pacific, along with the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest ocean canyon on earth. With this act, Bush will have protected more ocean, over the course of his term, than any person in history.
The monuments are being created under the powers of the Antiquities Act of 1906, which is traditionally used to protect statues and cultural sites. Under the new designation, oil and gas exploration, as well as commercial fishing, in the protected areas will be severely restricted.
Apparently, First lady Laura Bush played a significant role in the crafting of the policy. She solicited input from outside scientists, and stood in direct opposition to Vice President Cheney, who argued against the designation.
It is clear that despite Bush’s generally negative reputation among environmentalists (stemming greatly from his opposition to greenhouse gas regulations and pro-drilling stance), this decision should go a long way towards improving his environmental legacy.
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Comments
2 Comments on Bush Creates Three Massive Ocean National Monuments
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Janice on
Tue, 6th Jan 2009 2:19 pm
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jp on
Tue, 6th Jan 2009 6:05 pm
well there you have it…here’s one of the GOOD things MR.Bush did for us..not to many GOOD things on the chart..but thank GOD for Obama! 
Even as a political rebutle to his past disposition of feeding into the oilfields lust for power. Its a awesome jesture which should be condoned at any rate. Now what would happen if we had a extreme greenpeace movement politically? it must mean world war at the end of the term eh?
what an exiting note…
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