Oceans

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 »

May 5, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced up to $7.5 million in federal funding for research and development to help advance the viability and cost-competitiveness of advanced water power systems.

Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOE seeks partnerships with U.S. industry and universities to develop innovative and effective technologies capable of harnessing water power energy resources, including ocean wave, tidal, current and other water-based resources.

Photo by watch4u (CC)    » read more »

April 22, 2008 -- Salem – Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, together with Governors Schwarzenegger (CA) and Gregoire (WA), sent a letter to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking Congress to begin working on securing emergency appropriations for ocean salmon fishermen and related businesses that will be affected by the expected closure of much of the West Coast commercial and recreational ocean salmon fishing season.

Salmon sculpture, Oregon: Photo by p medved (CC)    » read more »

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 23, 2008) – Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley released the following statement today regarding Virginia’s efforts to assist in the rebuilding of the Blue Crab population in the Chesapeake Bay:

“I want to thank Governor Kaine and his staff for their leadership and partnership with Maryland on their historic efforts to rebuild the Chesapeake Bay blue crab fishery.”

Maryland Blue Crabs: Photo by Robert Fornal (CC)    » read more »

04/23/2008 -- The letter below signed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oregon Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski, and Washington Governor Christine O. Gregoire was sent today to U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chairman Daniel Inouye requesting his support of H.R. 802.

Container ship off San Francisco: Photo by Adam Knight (CC)

H.R. 802, the Maritime Pollution Prevention Act of 2007, is key to protecting public health in coastal regions and expanding international global trade by vessels to and from the United States.

April 23, 2008

The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
Chairman    » read more »

04/21/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oregon Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski and Washington Governor Christine Gregoire today sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking her for assistance in obtaining emergency appropriations to help address the economic emergency resulting from the Pacific Fisheries Management Council recommendation to close commercial and recreational salmon fishing because of the near record-low levels of salmon fish.

Seattle fish market: Photo by ashatsea (CC)

April 21, 2008

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515    » read more »

Washington, DC - 04/10/2008 - Ocean luminaries and fisheries experts today recognized the Bush administration for its efforts to end overfishing and preserve ecologically significant areas of the ocean. They also urged the administration to stand up to powerful fishing interests that could jeopardize recent successes in ocean policy.

Fish swimming on coral reef: Photo by only_point_five (CC)    » read more »

Legislation would mandate that the Coast Guard intervene during adverse conditions; Require double hulls for all large cargo ships

April 10, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to prevent oil spills like the November 2007 Cosco Busan incident, when a 900-foot cargo ship crashed into Bay Bridge and spilled more than 53,000 tons of toxic bunker fuel into the San Francisco Bay.

A sea bird killed by the Cosco Busan oil spill: Photo by Dave Patten (CC)    » read more »

April 8, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will award the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium (NJMSC) with more than $1 million in federal funds.

Oyster revealed at low tide: Photo by Christopher Seufert (CC)

The funding will support two separate initiatives: the New Jersey Sea Grant College Program and a study of the disease resistance of oysters.    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1187, the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Modification and Protection Act:

Seals at the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary    » read more »