Bush creates world’s biggest ocean preserve

[usregimechange]

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Thursday created the world's largest marine protected area — a group of remote Hawaiian islands that cover 84 million acres and are home to 7,000 species of birds, fish and marine mammals, at least a quarter of which are unique to Hawaii.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13300363/

What is the scoop on this? Motivation?

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I wish he cared as much about preserving the arctic.

[usregimechange]

2. Now you really know it's an election year.

[Chipper Chat]

4. He is orgasmic over Hawaii maybe going red in November.

After all, Cheney visited there in 04 and really charmed those hookers down on King Street.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. I guess they didn't find any oil there

:shrug:

[godless and proud]

7. Scheme

I am sure Bush and the oil brigade didn't find oil, so they pretend to be evironmental friendly to steal another election for the next right wing nutwing. I'm sure they schemed something.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi godless and proud!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[XemaSab]

5. Even a broken clock...

This, IMHO, is the ONLY decent thing he's done in his WHOLE administration.

The ONLY.

Provided the area is really protected, that is.

[TahitiNut]

6. Handy place to conduct naval submarine exercises?

"Midway Atoll, one of the outermost points of the new monument, will retain an emergency landing strip for commercial and military trans-Pacific flights.

Administration officials say their intent is to preserve zoned access for native Hawaiian activities, educational and scientific expeditions. Recreational and tourist visits that are no more harmful than scuba diving or photography also will be allowed. Permits, however, will be required for all activities.

The Bush administration said "permits will be required for activities related to research, education, conservation and management, native Hawaiian practices and non-extractive special ocean uses. "

The permits offer a low-profile way of restricting civilian activities to areas that won't interfere with (or detect) military use, I'd imagine. :shrug:

As a SCUBA diver, I'm avidly in favor of preservation of rare coral reefs and marine ecosystems.

[radfringe]

8. Ok that's 1

now I have something to add to my previous blank "presidential approval" column.

but I can't help thinking there's something more to this - the bushies record on issues has shown us there's more to their actions than just a "flashy" headline.

so what do the bushies get out of it? We'll have to wait and see

[niyad]

9. this has been in the works for 6 years, all he did was sign.