Thank you Prez Obama! 'Miracle’ expansion of California coastal sanctuaries (Sonoma,Mendocino Coast)

[Dems to Win]

http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Obama-administration-doubles-protected-area-off-6131026.php

WASHINGTON — After more than a decade of effort by California lawmakers, the Obama administration gave final approval Thursday to a giant expansion of two marine sanctuaries off the coast north of San Francisco that will protect one of the planet’s most prolific ocean ecosystems.
snip...

Woolsey started the effort in 1998 and engineered House passage in 2008. Boxer got a companion version through the Senate Commerce Committee in 2009 and 2012, but it failed to reach final passage.
When Woolsey retired in 2012, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco asked her if she had any parting wishes.
“I said, 'I want this Sonoma coast national marine sanctuary to be signed into law,’” Woolsey said in a telephone interview from her home in Petaluma. Pelosi made the request to President Obama and ensured that the administration followed up.
“Nancy was the one who brought it home,” Woolsey said.
snip...

"It’s ironic that against the backdrop of this war on nature that we’re seeing in the U.S. Congress right now, we are able to suddenly pull off this long-sought result of permanent protection for this spectacular piece of coast,” Charter said. “That is just a miracle.”

Protected from oil drilling!

Thank you President Obama!

Thank you former Congresswoman Woolsey!

Thank you Minority Leader Pelosi!

Thank you Senator Boxer!

[Hekate]

1. This is fantastic. We so badly need to conserve the coast...

For wildlife, and for human beings too.

Sometimes communities can buy a small piece of the coast and deed it over (we did in Santa Barbara), but it's just so expensive.

Having the President sign off on these coastal sanctuaries is indeed a miracle, and thanks to the lifelong labor of these three women and this president.

[NV Whino]

2. Good news!

[Cha]

3. A Big Mahalo to All responsible.. thank you, DtW!

[BrotherIvan]

4. Thank you President Obama!

That stretch of beautiful coast needs to be protected forever!!!

[SunSeeker]

5. Yes!

Beautiful picture. You need to enlarge it to see all the seals. Poor seal pups, they've really been going hungry this year as fish stock dwindles. They need all the help they can get.

[RKP5637]

6. Great News!!!

[dreamnightwind]

7. Great news

This is an amazing area, local to me. I was lucky enough to visit these areas (Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank, which though already protected this protects more area around them so that they are actually protected) in a boat once, it's several miles offshore (half the people in the boat were puking down below, huge swells that day, I was mostly ok), absolutely teeming with sea life, saw a massive blue whale surface up close and personal, I had seen plenty of whales before but the blues are a rare site. Definitely an area deserving of protection, nowhere like it that I'm aware of.

Woolsey was our congresswoman, she was excellent. Thanks to her, Pelosi, and Obama for this, no small accomplishment.

[Dems to Win]

8. I contributed $75 to Woolsey in 1992

For her first primary, a nine-way race to succeed Barbara Boxer, who was running for the Senate.

Best money I've ever spent! I was happy and proud to be represented by Lynn Woolsey for 20 years.

[dreamnightwind]

11. Thanks, money well spent

Is your rep Huffman now like mine? I supported Norman Solomon for the seat but Huffman has been ok.

[Dems to Win]

12. Me too, I was a big supporter of Norman. Huffman's OK

[HuckleB]

9. K & R!

[hopemountain]

10. awesome!

am so jealous. would love to never see oil derricks off the coast of my little home town obstructing the santa barbara channel.

[MineralMan]

13. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thanks for all of the many things you have accomplished while in office!

[calimary]

14. This Californian is utterly DELIGHTED!!!!!

It's about time! Keep industry's grubby paws OFF that precious irreplaceable resource!

With THIS Congress, I'm impressed. But then again, if Nancy Pelosi's on it, it'll probably get done. She really ran things in Congress when she was Speaker. They got stuff accomplished when she was in charge, dammit! This feeb who succeeded her (or, more accurately, FAILED her - and all the rest of us) can't even tie his own shoes much less get anything done with this bunch of unruly, anarchic horses' asses.

AND -

Thank you Senator Boxer! Thank you Congresswoman Woolsey - that'll be the great and treasured legacy you both leave behind to our state and our children - and THEIR children.

And thank you Mr. President. We never would have gotten this with a President romney. Oh, heaven forbid we keep big business from grabbing yet another gem.

ANOTHER reason for keeping the White House in Democratic hands. You think for one minute a President walker or God Help Us ANOTHER President bush would be favorable to an idea like that? OMG - what would the almighty oil industry say?

[zappaman]

15. Great fucking news!