I don’t know.  Does designating 335,561 square miles of ocean as protected somehow make up for all the environmental laws and regulations that he has so cavalierly watered down?  Will this designation somehow make the worst environmental President ever somehow an environmental hero?

The same President who, according to Source Watch, heavily censored Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports, packed the Bureau of Land Management, EPA and Department of the Interior with political appointees who catered to industry interests over environmental concerns, has decided to leave office by designating the single largest marine environment ever set aside for protection by a single person.

In 2006, President Bush set aside the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.  Yesterday, he designated an additional 195,000 square miles in the Pacific Ocean for three additional marine national monuments for a total of 335,561 square miles.  This latest designation is larger than the states of Oregon or Washington combined.

The single largest portion of the latest designation is the 95,000 square miles set aside around the Northern Mariana Islands.  It includes the Mariana Trench which is the deepest Canyon on earth.  The Trench houses some of the oldest known life on the planet as well as several unique features.

One of the rarest features is a boiling pool of liquid sulphur.  There is only one other known pool of  boiling liquid sulphur and that exists on Jupiter’s Moon, Io.  Other unique features are the existence of active mud volcanoes, and extremely acidic hydrothermal vents.

This area also includes 19 species of marine mammals including rare beaked whales.  The land areas include the only known bird that uses volcanic heat to incubate its eggs, the Micronesian megapod.  Also residing in the area are giant coconut crabs — the largest land-living arthropod in the world.

According to the C.I.A. World Fact Book the Northern Mariana Islands are a “commonwealth in political union with the United States”.  The islands are closer to the Philippines and Japan than Hawaii and the continental U.S.

Ironically, the Northern Mariana Island of Saipan has contaminated water that is contributing to local disease and has a polluted land fill.  Protection of endangered species is also clashing with local development.

Hmmm.  I guess President Bush felt that the new marine monuments are far enough away from the United States; don’t hold a populace than can vote for President or Vice President; and don’t interfere with United States industries.  He gets environmental brownie points without stepping on the toes of his cronies and major campaign contributors.

Some legacy.

Map: C.I.A. map of the Pacific Ocean

Related:

Entry was posted on Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 at 11:55 am under Japan, Opinion, Politics.

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