Last Chance
Last Chance: Public Comments Closing June 15th!
The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is requesting written comments to facilitate ONMS review of the nomination for Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS). NOAA will also assess the level of community-based support for the nomination from a broad range of interests. NOAA has provided the original nominating party, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, an opportunity to share its views on these same questions. Subsequent to the information gathering and internal analysis, the ONMS Director will make a final determination on whether or not the CHNMS nomination will remain in the inventory prior to the five-year anniversary of accepting the nomination, October 5, 2020. PUBLIC COMMMENT CLOSES AT 11:59PM, JUNE 15th.
Please follow this link to submit your comment.
The San Luis Obispo Central Democratic Party (SLOCDP) has renewed its support for the creation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary:
In a ringing endorsement calling for the creation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary — which will encompass the ocean and shores of San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara counties — the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party (SLOCDP) on June 13, submitted its recommendation to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, noting that the initiative already enjoys “strong local support.”
Creation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will bolster environmental and cultural protection for the region, and NOAA will take into consideration public comments when determining next steps, a decision expected on or before October 5, 2020. NOAA welcomes public comments in support of the initiative, which may be submitted by individuals and organizations online until Monday, June 15, 2020, here.
“The Chumash people’s culture, the beauty and biological diversity of our coastal waters, and the greening of our counties’ economies argue persuasively for the federal government to create the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary,” SLOCDP wrote in its official letter, stating that, “Establishing the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is clearly in everyone’s best interests …”. SLOCDP also reminded NOAA that it had made a similar recommendation to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in 2005, emphasizing that, “It’s now time to make the Sanctuary a reality.”