Marine Protected Areas
Headline: Federal Agencies Ordered to Strengthen and Expand Marine Protected Areas
What it does: Federal agencies must enhance and expand protection of marine protected areas, establish or recommend new areas, and avoid harming them in federal actions.
- Increases the number or size of marine protected areas through agency actions.
- Environmental Protection Agency to propose new water pollution rules protecting coasts and marine waters.
- Requires federal agencies to publish annual public reports on actions taken under the order.
Summary
This order directs federal agencies to strengthen and expand the nation's system of marine protected areas. Agencies must enhance protection of existing marine protected areas, establish or recommend new ones, and avoid harming these areas when carrying out federal activities.
It asks the Departments of Commerce and the Interior to build a coordinated national system, create a public MPA website and an MPA Center, consult states, territories, tribes, and experts, and requires the Environmental Protection Agency to propose stronger water pollution rules. Agencies must report annually on actions taken.
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