Big day for the ocean! President Barack Obama created a federal task force to shape a coordinated national ocean policy. He gave it 180 days to report back with results.
Following in the steps of his predecessors, he also proclaimed June as National Oceans Month. All this comes at the conclusion of Capitol Hill Ocean Week -- a week during which a key piece of sea otter legislation cleared a significant hurdle.
Monday was World Oceans Day, so the timing could not be better.
You'll find all the details of the president's memo creating the ocean policy task force here. It explains the tremendous value that healthy oceans play in our lives, and outlines the grave threats the oceans face, from pollution and mismanaged fisheries to climate change.
The president directs the executive branch to develop "a unifying framework under a clear national policy, including a comprehensive, ecosystem-based framework for the long-term conservation and use of our resources."
Leading the interagency effort will be Nancy Sutley, who chairs the White House Council on Environmental Quality. She was formerly deputy mayor of Los Angeles for energy and environment, has a long record on environmental and natural resources policy, and has been expected to be a key player in shaping the Obama administration's policies on climate change and the environment.
Stay tuned as the recommendations move forward. It's a huge, huge step toward realizing the vision of two national ocean commissions for comprehensive ocean policy reform.
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