Washington, DC – The US House of Representatives today passed H.R. 1187, the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Protection and Modification Act, a proposal put forth by Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) to protect the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts.  The legislation now heads to the Senate, where companion legislation has been introduced by California Senator Barbara Boxer, the Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and has been co-sponsored by Senator Diane Feinstein.

“Madam Speaker, H.R. 1187 is a well thought out and carefully crafted bill that brings together diverse stakeholders including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the fishing industry, state and local governments, conservation groups, and marine scientists who all agree that these proposed Sanctuary areas are national treasures,” Woolsey said while speaking on the House floor.

“As a mother and grandmother I want to see these treasures protected for years to come, so that my kids, and their grandkids, and their grandkids can enjoy the same unspoiled coast and clean waters that we enjoy today,” she said.

Woolsey’s legislation would add an area the size of Delaware, 1740 square nautical miles to the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, extending them into deeper water, and pushing them all the way up the coast to southern Mendocino County.  The proposal would guard the region’s abundant bird and marine life from pollution by industries such as oil exploration and drilling, including endangered salmon, while helping protect thousands of local jobs that depend on a clean and healthy environment.

“I worked closely with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishing Associations (PCFFA) in carefully crafting this bill,” Woolsey said.  “Fishermen have had a good relationship with the Gulf of the Farallones and the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary for 20 years because they know that good stewardship of our oceans producing better catches for them.  H.R. 1187 will serve to strengthen this partnership for years to come.”

The proposal enjoys strong support from local officials, and environmental and business groups, including: the State Lands Commission; the State Coastal Commission; the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, and San Francisco; the Port of Oakland; the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Associations; the Bodega Bay Fishermen’s Marketing Association; the Ocean Conservancy; and the Sierra Club.

"Today's action provides compelling recognition that the ecosystems of the spectacular Sonoma and Mendocino coastlines are truly a national treasure, worthy of permanent protection.  This an historic outcome, and we will be working hard to make sure that the U.S Senate concurs with this House action." said Richard Charter with Defenders of Wildlife.