When did Ægir die and pass his his trident and crown to the Worm?President Obama will announce Tuesday that he plans to expand protected areas of the Pacific Ocean, making them off-limits to fishing, energy exploration and other economic activities, according to a published report.
The Washington Post reports that the proposal, created with the help of White House adviser John Podesta, is scheduled to go into effect later this year after a comment period.
The centerpiece of Obama's plan is the expansion of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument by nearly ninefold, from almost 87,000 square miles to nearly 782,000 square miles. The monument, created by President George W. Bush just before he left office in 2009, includes seven sparsely populated or uninhabited islands located hundreds or thousands of miles to the south and west of Hawaii.
The Post reports that the designation is expected to face opposition from the U.S. tuna fleet, which operates in the region. Republicans in Congress have called the proposal another attempt by the administration to test the limits of executive power.
Read more:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/17/obama-will-reportedly-expand-protected-areas-pacific-ocean/
