Monterey Bay Sanctuary appears protected from executive order

MONTEREY -- The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary will not be directly affected by President Donald Trump's executive order that dismantles environmental protections, say Central Coast leaders, but they are ready to address any moves to reverse the sanctuary's protections if it comes to that.

Reversing those protections "would be absolutely devastating to the Monterey Bay and our coastline," said Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, in an email.

The Monterey Bay Sanctuary stretches along 276 miles of shoreline and encompasses 6,094 square miles of ocean, extending an average distance of 30 miles from the coast. It was established in 1992 for the purpose of resource protection, research, education and public use, and is one of the nation's largest marine sanctuaries.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a system of 14 underwater parks including the Monterey Bay sanctuary.

Activities that could harm the sanctuary's health — such as ocean dumping or seabed mining — are not allowed. Oil drilling in the Monterey Bay sanctuary is prohibited both by federal law and NOAA regulations. Leon Panetta, then a Central Coast congressman, introduced the bill that prohibited drilling around the same time that the designation process was in progress.

Panetta, who served as secretary of defense, director of the CIA and White House chief of staff in the Obama and Clinton administrations, is the father of current Rep. Jimmy Panetta.

The "double" protection of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary makes it a unique case.

The president could initiate the reversal of protections of the federally protected marine area off California's Central Coast, but he would be hard-pressed to get it into law, officials say.

"It would take an act of Congress to enact major impacts to the law," said Sam Farr, former Central Coast congressman and a proponent of ocean protection and conservation.

The focus of Trump's current executive order is aimed at unraveling efforts by the previous administration to combat climate change, focusing more on energy sources like coal rather than offshore drilling.

Jimmy Panetta said he would fight any decision to reverse protections in the sanctuary while continuing to advocate for renewable energy.

Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, said any rollback of protections would be a giant step backward for the area.

"With respect to offshore development, this region has a long history of supporting science-based protection of our coastline and ocean areas at the local, state and federal levels," said Packard. "These protected areas have fostered a thriving coastal recreation and tourism economy."

The Monterey Bay Sanctuary allows for human uses including commercial fishing and recreation like diving, kayaking, boating and surfing.

Trump could ask for a reversal of the protections but Farr doubts he would get it. He said the oil industry would not stick its neck out for it because of the expense of offshore extraction and the legal battles that would ensue.

"California doesn't want it. People love their coast and don't want to see drilling," said Farr. "The politics of California will protect the coastline and the ocean."