Volume 163, No. 149 covering the 1st Session of the 115th Congress (2017 - 2018) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“IN HONOR OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1222 on Sept. 14, 2017.
More than half of the Agency's employees are engineers, scientists and protection specialists. The Climate Reality Project, a global climate activist organization, accused Agency leadership in the last five years of undermining its main mission.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN HONOR OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY
______
HON. JIMMY PANETTA
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an important milestone in my district on the central coast of California. This weekend will mark twenty-five years since the establishment of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Referred to by many as the Serengeti of the Sea, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designated the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 1992. Twenty-five years later, thanks in large part to this designation, the central coast of California has become a vibrant international tourist destination. Millions of people from all over the world now travel to my district to enjoy the pristine natural beauty of this Sanctuary, creating not only cherished memories for visitors, but also thousands of jobs for local residents Among these destinations is the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a world-renowned aquarium where thousands of visitors every year learn about the rare and diverse ecosystems that thrive within the giant kelp forests of the Sanctuary.
While several generations on the central coast of California have always known the Monterey Bay to be a place of protected natural beauty, a sanctuary designation was a long-delayed dream for many. While a Marine Sanctuaries Study Bill was first proposed in 1967, it was not until the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 that the Environmental Protection Agency was authorized by Congress to regulate commercial activities in offshore areas. Thus, Congress delegated power to the Executive Branch to create federally protected marine sanctuaries. Unfortunately, despite tireless local efforts to achieve this designation for the Monterey Bay, the Reagan administration dropped the area for consideration as a sanctuary in 1983. The Congressman at the time recalled recently that when he approached then- Interior Secretary James Watt to lobby for the designation, he pointed out a picture on the wall of the room of a beautiful coastline, using it as an example of the kinds of areas worthy of conservation. Secretary Watt allegedly replied, ``Looks like a good place for an oil rig.''
However, this did not stop the residents of the central coast from achieving their long-held dream. In 1988, Congress voted to re-
authorize the Sanctuaries Act, and the Monterey Bay was included in the bill as a proposed sanctuary. It was an important step, but much work remained to make certain that the Sanctuary would be large enough to ensure the protection of the coastline from offshore oil drilling, and other practices that would harm the delicate ecosystem within the Monterey Bay. Finally, on September 18, 1992, Congress authorized the designation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary through legislation proposed by Congressman Leon Panetta. My father has referred to this many times as one of his proudest moments, and it certainly stands as one of his greatest accomplishments.
Of course, the thanks for the establishment of the Sanctuary should not go to just one man. Rather, it was the culmination of decades of tireless work by hundreds of citizens and public servants. Their determination preserved a living postcard to pass on to the future generations. The endless hours dedicated to this monumental achievement stand as an enduring testament to what is possible when citizens take an active role in our democracy. When Americans put their minds to something, anything is possible.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in taking a moment to recognize the value of conserving areas like the Monterey Bay. Preserving our nation's natural beauty has a long and storied tradition spanning over a century, with champions from both political parties. Let us now, then, commit ourselves to the continued preservation of our nation's public lands, now and forever.
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