Alan Lowenthal: “My district provides a perfect example of the need for ocean coordination and information sharing between local, State…”

“My district provides a perfect example of the need for ocean coordination and information sharing between local, State, and Federal governments, including our offshore energy management agencies, the military, our ports, our ocean carriers, our energy developers, recreational users, and other stakeholders. Let me explain. The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest port in the United States, moving $140 billion in goods, supporting 1.4 million jobs in the United States. Offshore oil platforms extract crude oil in San Pedro Bay, less than a mile from my front door. San Clemente Island, in my district, has a Navy training ground and a ship-to-shore firing range. Nearby waters are home to seabirds, fisheries, and migrating whales. Sea-level rise and extreme weather threaten neighborhoods and businesses all along my district and the entire coast of California. {time} 0930 These are all major, interwoven uses of our oceans, and it doesn't make sense to address them on a case-by-case basis without all the stakeholders participating. We need smart ocean planning and coordination. For those reasons, my amendment would strike the misguided and counterproductive language in H.R. 4899 that prohibits costal and marine spatial planning coordination. We need our Federal offshore energy management agencies to include the consideration of other stakeholders, not exclude them from the offshore leasing and the drilling process.…”