Oceans

Court Order Upholds Federal Environmental Laws and Reduces Harm from Naval Exercises

LOS ANGELES -- August 12, 2008 – The Navy’s use of low frequency active sonar will remain restricted to certain military training areas of the Pacific Ocean, according to an agreement approved by a U.S. district court in San Francisco today.    » read more »

June 23, 2008 -- When John McCain is in California this week he will no doubt try to tie himself to Gov. Schwarzenegger and distance himself from President Bush. But when it comes to offshore drilling, an important issue to coastal states, like California, Senator McCain is on Bush's--not Schwarzenegger's--side.

When McCain announced last week he wanted to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling, President Bush and big oil were quick to side with him, even though the idea has been met with much criticism and would do nothing to solve our short-term energy crisis. Just as bad, Senator McCain himself campaigned against off-shore drilling in states like Oregon, Maine, and even California in the run-up to the 2000 election.    » read more »

June 23, 2008 -- After years of saying he opposed drilling in our coastal waters, Senator McCain changed his position and has embraced President Bush's vision for offshore drilling. On CBS's Face the Nation, McCain advisor Carly Fiorina tried to defend John McCain's decision to cave in to Big Oil.

Offshore oil rig: Photo by arbyreed (CC)    » read more »

Massachusetts Governor Patrick Signs Law Creating First-In-The-Nation Oceans Management Plan Balancing Preservation, Uses

May 28, 2008 - BOSTON -- Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, with the support of House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi and Senate President Therese Murray, today signed the Oceans Act of 2008, legislation that will require Massachusetts to develop a first-in-the-nation comprehensive plan to manage development in its state waters, balancing natural resource preservation with traditional and new uses, including renewable energy.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick speaks about the importance of the Oceans Act bill.: Photo courtesy Mass. Governor's office    » read more »

Portland Stop -- May 29 -31-- is first of Four Northwest Port Visits

Seattle, Wash., May 27, 2008 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Ocean Survey Vessel, the OSV BOLD, will make its first northwest appearance in Portland, Oregon, beginning May 29th.EPA’s Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) “BOLD”

EPA's 224-foot research flagship will be docked at Tom McCall Waterfront Park and will be open to the public. Free public tours will be conducted May 29th – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and May 30 and 31st – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The OSV BOLD came straight from Arcata, California where it completed seafloor monitoring at the Humbolt Bay Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site.    » read more »

21 May 2008 -- Witnesses say nearly 20 dead whales have washed up Wednesday on a beach in Dakar, Senegal.

Dakar journalist Ricci Shryock tells VOA national police are removing the carcasses in trucks. She said the whales measure some 3.5 to 4.5 meters.

Local villagers say as many as 100 whales swam up to shore late Tuesday night. Fisherman were able to tow some of the animals out to sea.

It is unclear why the animals swam close to shore.

Source: VOA News

Grant Will Help Rutgers Conduct research to Improve Maritime Safety, Ecological Decision-Making in the Region

May 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will award $1.7 million in federal funds to Rutgers University for Mid-Atlantic coastal ocean observation.

Senator Frank Lautenberg    » read more »