The state could join Oregon and Washington in protecting the seafloor
The Aquarium joined with Surfrider to support Assembly Bill 1832, authored by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D), which would bans destructive mining of mineral deposits on the seafloor.
California has long been a leader in coastal protection. Voters approved a ballot measure that created the Coastal Act, preserving public access to the shoreline and safeguarding sensitive habitats. Later, the state established the nation’s first science-based network of marine protected areas.
The State Legislature is now poised to add a new level of protection: a ban on destructive seabed mining in California waters. If Assembly Bill 1832, the Seabed Mining Prevention Act, becomes law, it would safeguard 2,500 square miles of seafloor — and the myriad creatures living there.
“Seabed mining is not just an ecological danger, it is also an economic threat to our communities,” says Assemblymember Luz Rivas of North Hollywood, who authored AB 1832 with the support of the Aquarium and Surfrider Foundation. “This is our chance for California to stand out as a leader and show the rest of the country how important it is to protect our ocean.”
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/stories/aquarium-supports-seabed-mining-prevention-act
The Aquarium joined with Surfrider to support Assembly Bill 1832, authored by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D), which would bans destructive mining of mineral deposits on the seafloor.
California has long been a leader in coastal protection. Voters approved a ballot measure that created the Coastal Act, preserving public access to the shoreline and safeguarding sensitive habitats. Later, the state established the nation’s first science-based network of marine protected areas.
The State Legislature is now poised to add a new level of protection: a ban on destructive seabed mining in California waters. If Assembly Bill 1832, the Seabed Mining Prevention Act, becomes law, it would safeguard 2,500 square miles of seafloor — and the myriad creatures living there.
“Seabed mining is not just an ecological danger, it is also an economic threat to our communities,” says Assemblymember Luz Rivas of North Hollywood, who authored AB 1832 with the support of the Aquarium and Surfrider Foundation. “This is our chance for California to stand out as a leader and show the rest of the country how important it is to protect our ocean.”
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/stories/aquarium-supports-seabed-mining-prevention-act