NOAA Reaches Key Milestone in Designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary – Protects 116 Miles Along the Coast of Central California

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View of Cojo Anchorage in the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. (Image credit: Robert Schwemmer/NOAA) Download Image

Agency releases final environmental impact statement for West Coast sanctuary

September 7, 2024 - The designation process for the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary took a major step forward on Friday as NOAA announced the release of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS), which outlines the environmental impacts of the proposed sanctuary and is a necessary step toward this final designation. Under NOAA’s preferred alternative, the sanctuary would include 4,543 square miles of coastal and offshore waters along 116 miles of California’s central coast. Upon designation, the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would become the third largest national marine sanctuary in the National Marine Sanctuary System.

The FEIS follows nearly a decade of work by Tribes, Indigenous Peoples, community leaders, organizations, businesses, state and local officials, and members of Congress, provides an evaluation of the expected environmental, social and economic effects of the proposed sanctuary, and reflects public input from multiple rounds of stakeholder engagement. If designated, the proposed sanctuary would be the 17th in the National Marine Sanctuary System and contribute to the goals of the Biden-Harris Administration’s America the Beautiful initiative, which supports locally-led collaborative conservation efforts with a goal to conserve and restore at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

“Today, our Administration is taking a critical step toward designating the first Indigenous-proposed National Marine Sanctuary,” said Vice President Kamala Harris. “As a Senator, I was proud to support efforts to create the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off California’s coast to honor our commitments to Indigenous communities and promote natural spaces. President Biden and I will continue to protect, conserve and restore lands and waters in communities across our nation.”

The sanctuary, as described in the preferred alternative, would recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ connections to the region, and be managed with the active involvement of Tribes and Indigenous communities, inclusive of Indigenous values, knowledge and traditions. The sanctuary is anticipated to bring comprehensive community- and ecosystem-based management to nationally significant natural, historical, archeological and cultural resources — including kelp forests, rocky reefs, sandy beaches, underwater mountains and more than 200 shipwrecks.

“The Biden-Harris Administration continues to make unprecedented strides on collaborative conservation and management,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This milestone in Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary’s designation moves us closer to providing critical environmental protections and bolstering recreation, tourism and other local industries along California’s central coast, which would grow the economy throughout the region.”

As required by the National Environmental Policy Act, NOAA must wait 30 days after publication of the final environmental impact statement before making its final decision on designation. Following the 30 days, should NOAA decide to designate the sanctuary, the agency will release the final regulations and final management plan.

“Today marks an important step toward designating the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary and is a testament to the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to honoring Tribal Nations and supporting locally-led conservation of the broad range of landscapes and seascapes that make up America the Beautiful,” said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. “Efforts to make the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary the first Indigenous-focused sanctuary nomination have spanned many years — and today’s milestone is the product of committed individuals working together across backgrounds, across sectors and across governments to advance co-stewardship while respecting Indigenous Knowledge. Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, we will achieve a lasting legacy that accounts for a shared and common heritage for all to treasure while also building a clean energy future and combating the climate crisis.”

“President Biden and Vice President Harris have delivered on the most ambitious conservation agenda in decades. This Administration’s conservation vision is locally led, centers environmental justice, and recognizes that we can meet both our conservation and clean energy goals at the same time,” said White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “Reflecting a collaborative and inclusive process, today’s step toward designation includes a path forward to both protect this rich marine ecosystem and ensure the continued responsible development of offshore wind. Just this week, the Administration announced its tenth massive offshore wind project approval, a total game-change relative to the zero projects approved before President Biden and Vice President Harris took office. With each of those projects — just like with the work to designate the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary — we are working closely with Indigenous communities, ocean users, developers and other stakeholders to protect our ocean’s significant natural and cultural resources while also providing reliable power to homes and businesses through continued development of clean energy.”

National marine sanctuaries are vital to the economic health of coastal communities. Sanctuary designations are designed to promote the long-term conservation and protection of natural and cultural resources in the region and support local and regional economies that rely on those resources.

“Every tribal nation across the country maintains a significant cultural tie to its aboriginal lands and waters. Sadly, for many, those connections have been difficult to reach. But today, with this announcement, the Chumash people take great strides in restoring our connection to our maritime history.” said Kenneth Kahn, Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, which will serve as a Co-steward of the sanctuary. “The Biden-Harris administration was deliberate at every step of the way, and worked with our tribal government to ensure that this proposal respected our inherent sovereignty and our government-to-government relationship with the United States. This is an exciting step forward for the Chumash people, and a day for all of us on the California Central Coast to celebrate."

“The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will be a step forward for communities and nature alike — proof that we can make real progress when we work together,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “By respecting and supporting tribal leadership and stewardship, we are bringing California one step closer to meeting our aggressive clean energy goals while protecting biodiversity — and above all else, honoring the land and waters alongside those who have stewarded this area since time immemorial.”

“NOAA is grateful for the strong interest and leadership of local Tribes and Indigenous communities that engaged in the designation process, helping to inspire the sanctuary’s proposed management plan and Indigenous collaborative co-stewardship framework,” said NOAA Administrator Richard Spinrad, Ph.D.

"This is a huge moment for the Chumash People and all who have tirelessly supported our campaign over the years,” said Violet Sage Walker, Chairwoman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council. “My father, the late Chief Fred Collins, began the journey to protect these sacred waters 40 years ago, and we have been so proud to continue his work. I am delighted to celebrate his vision, today’s success, and the future of our People who will always be connected to past, present and future by this special stretch of coastline and the true magic its waters hold.”

The boundaries for the national marine sanctuary, as outlined in the preferred alternative in the FEIS, would not include areas where offshore wind turbines are currently planned to be built or where wind energy transmission cables are expected to be laid. NOAA would consider a potential expansion of the proposed sanctuary in the coming years, however, after transmission cables have been approved.

NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 620,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters. The network includes a system of 16 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. The system works with diverse partners and stakeholders to promote responsible, sustainable ocean uses that ensure the health of our most valued ocean places. Source: NOAA

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NOAA Reaches Key Milestone in Designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary – Protects 116 Miles Along the Coast of Central California

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