Our oceans help feed our Nation, fuel our economic engine, give mobility to our Armed Forces, and provide a place for rest and recreation. Healthy oceans, coasts, and waterways are among our most valuable resources — driving growth, creating jobs, and supporting businesses across America. During National Oceans Month, we reaffirm our commitment to the oceans and celebrate the myriad benefits they bring to all Americans.
June 17, 2012
Adrift in a sea of (no) coverage (Columbia Journalism Review)
From: Columbia Journalism Review
By Curtis Brainard
Last October, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar called on the press to pay more attention to the Obama administration’s achievements in environmental conservation.
In response, The Miami Herald’s Carl Hiaasen suggested that the government give journalists more to write about, and he had a point. On Sunday, The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin had a revealing article (which should’ve gotten higher billing in the paper) about the president’s “modest personal interest in wilderness protection.” But Salazar had a point as well. Articles like Eilperin’s are all too rare. Case in point: Obama’s National Ocean Policy.
June 10, 2012
JOINT INITIATIVE RELEASES 2012 U.S. OCEAN POLICY REPORT CARD (Joint Ocean Commission Initiative)
the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative released its 2012 U.S. Ocean Policy Report Card assessing the nation’s progress toward implementing the National Ocean Policy, which is critical to our national security, coastal economies, and the health of our ocean resources. The report card praises state and regional efforts to implement the National Ocean Policy. While the report card also commends solid steps taken by the Administration to lay the foundation for success, it highlights that overall implementation has fallen short of expectations and Congress has failed to show leadership on the issue. The report card calls on national, state, and local leaders to fully implement the National Ocean Policy and for the Senate to act on the Law of the Sea Convention. The report card also identifies 15 specific action steps necessary to ensure the health of our ocean resources now and into the future.
June 4, 2012
Alaska Officials Speak Out Against New National Ocean Policy (Heartlander)
From: Heartlander
Alaska state officials are pressing the Obama administration to exercise restraint in implementing a new National Ocean Policy that threatens to shift power from the states to the federal government.
Decisions Move to DC
Appearing at a U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee Field Hearing April 3 in Anchorage, state officials joined citizens and entrepreneurs in expressing concern an executive order signed by President Barack Obama last summer will lead to a costly National Ocean Policy that stifles local economic activity and shifts power from state and local officials to federal bureaucrats thousands of miles away.