Panetta, Padilla, Carbajal, Brownley Welcome Final Environmental Impact Statement for Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, and Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24) and Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26) welcomed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) announcement of their final environmental impact statement for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, marking an important step toward the designation of the Sanctuary.

NOAA announced a preferred alternative boundary for the Sanctuary that will protect 4,543 square miles, encompassing 116 miles along the coastline and up to 60 miles from the shore to support environmental and Tribal priorities off the Central Coast while supporting state and national offshore wind development goals.

If designated, the Sanctuary would be the third largest in the national sanctuary system and the first Tribally-nominated sanctuary in the United States. Importantly, the Sanctuary management plan would support co-stewardship with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

"I commend NOAA for engaging with Congress and listening to feedback from all sides including local tribal, environmental, and industry leaders to thoughtfully balance our conservation and clean energy goals in the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary," said Representative Panetta. "The release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement brings us another step closer to protecting more than four thousand miles of biologically diverse marine ecosystem. NOAA's Final Preferred Alternative Boundary is a thoughtful, pragmatic approach that will help us in our goals to deploy over three gigawatts of clean energy to the grid while protecting the beauty and heritage of the Central Coast."

"Today's announcement represents a critical step forward and one of the final hurdles before the long-awaited designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. The proposed designation would be a major victory for the Chumash people, environmental conservation, and the responsible development of offshore wind to help meet our ambitious offshore wind energy goals," said Senator Padilla. "I look forward to collaborating with NOAA officials, my House colleagues, Tribal leaders, and local stakeholders to push forward the final designation for this vital marine ecosystem across the finish line."

"The Central Coast has pursued this sanctuary designation for decades, and as someone who's been helping push for it in Washington since I first got to Congress I am so pleased to see us passing the final checkpoint on our way to seeing the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary made official before the end of this year," said Representative Carbajal. "This historic designation will come not a moment too soon. Our oceans and our communities are facing unprecedented challenges from a changing marine environment, this new sanctuary comes at a critical time for our region. I look forward to working with our tribal and local stakeholders and federal partners to finalize these boundaries - which will nearly double the coastline protected along the Central Coast - and build on them to protect every coastal community and ecosystem in our region."

"As the representative of California's 26th Congressional District, I know how important the establishment of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is to my constituents who live along the Central Coast. Not only will designation of the sanctuary help honor our region's rich Native American heritage, but it will also protect vulnerable marine wildlife and our coastal areas, which are hubs for economic activity including our fisheries industry and recreation and tourism industry. I look forward to continuing to work with tribal leaders, regional and national stakeholders, and the U.S. Department of Commerce as we move forward with the designation," said Representative Brownley.

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary was originally proposed by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council in July 2015, and the Commerce Department moved the proposed sanctuary into the designation phase in November 2021. NOAA has since proceeded through most of the steps in the process, including wrapping up the final public comment period in October 2023.

The offshore wind projects in development off the coast of California represent the nation's first-ever floating offshore wind and will support California's goal of producing 25 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2045. They will also be a significant contributor to the Administration's goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030 and 15 GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2035.

Last May, California lawmakers urged the Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize completing the designation phase, emphasizing the potential benefits of the proposed sanctuary, such as protecting California marine life, recognizing the Native American stewardship of the coastal waters, and supporting the $1.7 trillion coastal economy.

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