The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is opposing a proposed law that would remove permitting requirements for laying undersea cables through national marine sanctuaries.
The US House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing this week that covered the proposed bill.
Foundation President and CEO Joel Johnson said:
“For over 50 years, national marine sanctuaries have centered around community needs, participation, and input. The National Marine Sanctuaries Act ensures scientific integrity and community voice are integral parts of decision making in nationally significant public waters as iconic as our national parks. In doing so, it provides a tested and successful framework for exploring potential activity, like cabling, to balance economic activity with protecting our ecological and maritime heritage, including sacred cultural sites that tell the story of our nation – from WWII shipwrecks to iconic coral reefs. Sanctuary users, such as local dive operators, commercial and recreational fishermen, must continue to have a say in how these public resources are treated.”
The foundation opposes “any effort, including H.R. 261, that would circumvent the rights granted to communities by the National Marine Sanctuaries Act,” Johnson said, adding:
“As the Trump Administration stated in its Executive Order about unleashing American energy, the administration is committed to guaranteeing the opportunity for public comment on decisions that impact Americans. Together, we must ensure that the American people and coastal communities that rely on sanctuaries for their livelihoods continue to have a voice in their waters rather than be silenced by special interest groups.
“This proposed legislation is attempting to allow big tech industries to circumvent paying permit fees for using public resources that have been deemed important to conserve for the American people by our government. These fees are critical to the management and protection of our nation’s marine resources, safeguarded by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and are the standard process for industries using public resources on public lands and waters.”
