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Washington, D.C. -Our oceans
are becoming more acidic by the day, threatening the survival of
everything from plankton, to shellfish, to coral reefs and countless
other aquatic species. Today Congress took decisive action to reverse
that by overwhelmingly approving the Federal Ocean Acidification
Research and Monitoring Act of 2007 (FOARAM, H.R. 4174). Championed by
Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA-03), when signed into law it will charge
the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology with overseeing
the planning, establishment, and coordination of a plan to improve the
understanding of ocean acidification and its impact on marine ecosystems
"From
the people who work in the seafood and shellfish industry, to those who
enjoy our maritime resources, the consequences of an increasingly
acidic ocean to the people of Washington could be nothing short of
catastrophic," said Congressman Baird. "I refuse to pass this problem
off to future generations; we must work to solve it today."
The
world's oceans help mitigate the effects of global warming by absorbing
atmospheric carbon dioxide; however, as CO2 levels increase the oceans
are becoming overwhelmed and more acidic. With more than two thirds of
the Earth's surface covered by water the effects of these changes can
be catastrophic.
"Millions, if not billions, of people all
across the world depend on our oceans to put food on their tables, and
money in their pockets," added Congressman Baird. "Ocean acidification
is slowly choking this vital worldwide economic engine. Waiting for
someone else to fix the problem simply wasn't an option."
A
recent study funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), showed the scope of the problem facing North
America's West Coast is far greater than scientists ever imagined.
Alarmingly high levels of acidified water have been found within 20
miles of the shore, which could spell disaster for ecosystems from
Mexico to Canada, and everywhere in between.
"Scientists say
they didn't expect to see ocean acidification levels this high until
the middle, or even late part of this century," added Congressman
Baird. "This study should serve as an eye opener for everyone, and
illustrates why we must solve this problem right now."
When
signed into law, FOARAM will develop and coordinate a comprehensive
interagency plan to monitor and conduct research on the processes and
consequences of ocean acidification on marine organisms and
ecosystems. It will also establish ocean acidification programs within
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National
Science Foundation, and NASA.
Bipartisan companion legislation
(S. 1581) is currently pending in the Senate. Introduced by Senator
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) it currently has seven cosponsors, including
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA).
"This legislation takes an
important step toward fully identifying the scope of the problem we're
facing. Only then, will we be able to begin the search for solutions,"
said concluded Congressman Baird. "Water is life; we can't afford to
sit on the sidelines while our oceans slowly die."
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