Jun 15 2006
New Natural, National Monument
The ex-biologist in me is happy to see this happen:
President Bush is creating a vast new marine sanctuary Thursday, extending stronger federal protections to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and its endangered monk seals, nesting green sea turtles and other rare species.
The nation’s newest national monument, which will be given a native Hawaiian name based on suggestions from state residents, covers an archipelago stretching 1,400 miles long and 100 miles wide in the Pacific Ocean. It’s home to more than 7,000 species, at least a fourth of them found nowhere else.
Bush was announcing his creation of the nation’s 75th national monument at a White House ceremony. The decision immediately sets aside 140,000 square miles of largely uninhabited islands, atolls, coral reef colonies and underwater peaks known as seamounts to be managed by federal and state agencies.
Excellent idea.
My only wish is that Midway Atoll would, rather than be turned into a maritime sanctuary, instead be declared a national memorial for a lot of brave Americans who won an “Incredible Victory”.
I’m always happy to see areas like this set aside to remain pristine. My first thought tho, Must be some oil there.