Public Can Weigh In On Making Papahanaumokuakea A Marine National Sanctuary
The move aims to better protect the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and enhance the national monument that’s been in place there since 2006.
Federal officials announced Thursday that they’re moving into the next phase of their effort to designate the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument a marine national sanctuary, too. The goal is to boost and better secure the environmental protections for that ocean expanse.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released for the sanctuary, and the public can comment on that report or at a series of meetings scheduled in April across Hawaii.
The first meeting will be held virtually on April 6, and those interested in participating can .
The idea of designating the monument a sanctuary as well has been in the works since at least 2021.
Sanctuaries are harder to undo because it requires an act of Congress, whereas presidents have unilaterally created and expanded marine monuments using their executive authority under the Antiquities Act. President George W. Bush established Papahanaumokuakea in 2006 and President Barack Obama more than tripled its size in 2016.
