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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama creates the largest protected place on the planet, off Hawaii...
President Obama created the largest protected area on the planet Friday, by expanding a national marine monument off the coast of his native Hawaii to encompass 582,578 square miles of land and sea.
The move, which more than quadruples the size of the Papahānaumokuākea (pronounced Papa-ha-now-moh-koo-ah-kay-ah) Marine National Monument that President George W. Bush established a decade ago, underscores the extent to which Obama has elevated the issues of conservation and climate change in his second term. Obama has now used his executive authority under the 1906 Antiquities Act to protect more than 548 million acres of federal land and water, more than double what any of his predecessors have done.
Many scientists, environmentalists and native Hawaiians have argued that recent scientific deepwater discoveries and threats of climate change and seabed mining warrant more stringent protection of the remote and biologically rich region. The roughly 1,200-mile-long archipelago, which is known as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and lies about 270 miles northwest of Oahu, is protected by a buffer of 50 nautical miles from shore in all directions.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-create-the-largest-protected-place-on-the-planet-off-hawaii/2016/08/25/54ecb632-6aec-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_obamahawaii-1215am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Thank You President Obama!
sheshe2
(83,728 posts)He sure has been busy!
Love him!
Little Star
(17,055 posts)I read that he has now bested Teddy Roosevelt in terms of protecting more land & water under the Antiquities Act.
I am so glad he's doing all this!
sheshe2
(83,728 posts)That is awesome news for protecting our planet.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)would have made Teddy smile
sheshe2
(83,728 posts)Skraxx
(2,970 posts)He's the best and history will record him as such.
PatSeg
(47,370 posts)without the help of the republican controlled congress. They must really be hating him more than ever these days.
The Sushi Bandit
(5,560 posts)Protecting the Aina for all.
Hekate
(90,633 posts)MynameisBlarney
(2,979 posts)Nice work Mr. Prez!
calimary
(81,194 posts)And in whatever other language one can imagine. I'm sure Planet Earth says Thank You, too.
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)Mira
(22,380 posts)to be there. I am so proud!
Lucinda
(31,170 posts)lpbk2713
(42,751 posts)Future generations will thank you Mr President.