Left Coast to lead the way in marine protection
This is welcome news.
The Governors of California, Oregon, and Washington today announced an historic partnership and action plan for ocean and coastal resource protection along the Pacific Coast.Congress and the Bush administration are refusing to provide leadership, so it's up to the states to step in. Washington, Oregon, and California have worked together on new clean car standards and on global warming. With the formation of this historic partnership, the Left Coast has taken another step forward in creating a more sustainable future for later generations.
The joint effort, to protect the ocean and coast, was announced in Long Beach to more that than 1,000 attendees of "California and the World Ocean ’06," by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was joined by his fellow governors, Oregon’s Ted Kulongoski and Washington’s Chris Gregoire, via live satellite from Portland.
The regional agreement will forge a long-term partnership to tap world-class experts in each state and tackle challenges facing the ocean and coast including:
- Ensuring clean coastal waters and beaches for citizens of the region;
- Protecting and restoring healthy ocean and coastal habitats;
- Promoting effective ecosystem-based management of ocean and coastal resources;
- Reducing adverse impacts from offshore development;
- Expanding ocean and coastal scientific information, research, and monitoring;
- Increasing ocean awareness and literacy among tri-state residents; and
- Fostering sustainable economic development in coastal communities.
