What the President just did:
Source: Sec. of Interior Sally Jewell
Just now, the President took action to protect a place called Bristol Bay, Alaska. Here's why that matters:
It places a national treasure -- and one of the nation's most productive fisheries -- off limits for oil and gas leasing. Alaskans have been fighting to preserve Bristol Bay for decades. Today, we got it done.
Bristol Bay helps to produce 40 percent of America's wild-caught seafood each year. It supports $2 billion every year in commercial fishing, and supports good jobs in sport-fishing and tourism.
These waters are beautiful and valuable, and today's action will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy their bounty.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/12/16/5-things-you-need-know-about-alaskas-bristol-bay?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email406-text1&utm_campaign=environment
Read more: mass email
This is very good news! Use your executive powers Mr. President.
Now if this helps to stop "The Pebble Mine Project" all the better
http://www.savebristolbay.org/about-the-bay/about-pebble-mine
Dear Republicans if you don't like this action please take it up w/this Bristol Bay "lobbyist."
Bjorn Against
(12,041 posts)Somehow I don't think oil wells would improve the scenery however.
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)this is good news. F the Pebble Mine. Thanks Botany.
fasttense
(17,301 posts)He loved to fish and I loved the wilderness, though I tried my hand at fishing too.
But those were the days when I had a decent paying job. I could afford to fly in for a short vacation. Now I can barely afford to eat fish let alone to try and catch it in a pristine wilderness. I'm glad it is saved from destruction by the corporations...for now.
The protection of the area is just temporary though, until some corporation can convince a president to let them use it. Maybe the Dubai royal family will buy it up for a hunting preserve like they did in Tanzania. That would make the area slightly more protected. At least royal families have the money to hire huge amounts of lawyers to protect their purchases. (When feudalism and capitalism get together they act like kissing cousins).
Too bad I wont ever see it again due to such a very shitty economy.
NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)24601
(3,955 posts)from both major parties.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/orders.php
TheCowsCameHome
(40,167 posts)Thank you, Mr. President.
Hekate
(90,556 posts)... an Executive Order, it is nonbinding on the next POTUS. If Jebbie or Ted Cruz is elected, they will overturn all of President Obama's painstakingly-wrought Executive Orders asap.
For the millionth time, it is imperative we elect a Democrat and give him/her a Congress that will work with him/her.
Kudos to this POTUS for at least paving the way and lighting it brightly.
Botany
(70,447 posts)lovemydog
(11,833 posts)and good news!
madokie
(51,076 posts)Keep up the good work SIR.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Things You Need to Know About Alaska's Bristol Bay
1. Bristol Bay provides 40 percent of America's wild-caught seafood.
Bristol Bay is one of the world's most valuable fisheries, providing 40 percent of America's seafood and supporting up to $2 billion in commercial fishing every year.
2. Bristol Bay hosts one of the world's largest wild salmon runs. While remote, this area is also an economic engine for tourism in Alaska. Bristol Bay drives $100 million in recreational fishing and tourism activity every year.
3. Bristol Bay is home to multiple threatened species. Bristol Bay provides important habitat for many species, including the threatened Stellar's eider, sea otters, seals, walruses, Beluga and Killer whales, and the endangered North Pacific Right Whale.
4. The President's action protects millions of acres from drilling. The North Aleutian Basin Planning Area that includes Bristol Bay consists of about 32.5 million acres. The previous Administration set in motion a new lease sale for 2011 that would have opened approximately 5.6 million acres -- about one-fifth of the planning area -- for drilling. In 2010, President Obama temporarily withdrew the Bristol Bay area from oil and gas development, and today's action extends that protection indefinitely.
5. President Obama is not the only president to use his executive authority to protect lands. The President issues his temporary withdrawal in 2010 using his authority under section 12 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which gives the president authority to withdraw offshore areas from potential oil and gas leasing. President Eisenhower was the first to exercise the authority in 1960, withdrawing an area now included in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Since then, presidents on both sides of the aisle have acted to withdraw areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/12/16/5-things-you-need-know-about-alaska-s-bristol-bay
to merryblooms:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025969300
sheshe2
(83,654 posts)hopemountain
(3,919 posts)the people and president barack hussein obama
Scuba
(53,475 posts)C Moon
(12,209 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)hatrack
(59,574 posts)Some warm news on a cold night!
Thank you, President Obama - it's a great start!
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)And you can't see the half-what's-her-name's porch from there. Even better.
locks
(2,012 posts)Hurray and thanks for the pictures!
Cha
(296,848 posts)hue
(4,949 posts)Cha
(296,848 posts)hue
(4,949 posts)SunSeeker
(51,512 posts)LynneSin
(95,337 posts)eridani
(51,907 posts)hope he takes advantage of it.
Cha
(296,848 posts)progressoid
(49,945 posts)LuvLoogie
(6,913 posts)SnowCritter
(810 posts)She's gotta say something to denigrate the President's decision, but what?
I don't think she's going to be able to help herself. I'm expecting some sort of "word salad" from her.
JustAnotherGen
(31,780 posts)And beautiful action by the President!
greatlaurel
(2,004 posts)This is a very important area to protect. Unexpected good news.
whathehell
(29,034 posts)MBS
(9,688 posts)Thank you , President Obama and Secretary Jewell.
staggerleem
(469 posts)Wait ... did I get that straight?
stage left
(2,961 posts)I was stationed with my husband in Alaska. It's breathtakingly beautiful.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)so this means a lot to me.
It's hard for us in the Lower 48 to wrap our brains around how big Alaska is, and even harder to imagine that extraction industries can damage some place so big--but they can and have.