Center for American Progress

Trump gutted protections for the Atlantic’s only marine monument — now what?
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Trump gutted protections for the Atlantic’s only marine monument — now what?

In light of the Trump administration's rollback of protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, Miriam Goldstein writes that ocean protections are a critical part of the fight against climate change.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, protests against police violence, and massive unemployment, President Trump somehow managed to leave his Washington bunker last Friday to gut protections for the Atlantic Ocean’s only marine monument — an extraordinary area filled with ancient deep-sea corals, whales, dolphins, and other fragile marine life.

Trump’s attack on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was not motivated by any real concern for the struggles — many of which he caused — of fishermen and coastal communities that he claims to be helping. Rather, the president made it clear the rollback was just the latest chapter in his quest to undo everything that former president Barack Obama had done.

The above excerpt was originally published in The Boston Globe. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Miriam Goldstein

Former Senior Director for Conservation Policy; Senior Fellow