Marine activists, scientists and citizen leaders seek to restore Gulf of Mexico, address jobs, offshore energy at Blue Vision Summit May 20-23
Among Participants: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Jane Lubchenco, Admiral Thad Allen, Sylvia Earle, Celine Cousteau, Barton Seaver, Carl Safina
A wave of some 500 ocean leaders will come together May 20-23 in Washington, D.C. to examine ways of restoring the Gulf a year after the BP Blowout, highlight the links between a healthy ocean and healthy economy without reckless new drilling and address how to connect President Obama's national ocean policy to common-sense solutions already being implemented around the nation.
In 2004 the first Blue Vision meeting in Washington DC helped highlight the work of two ocean commissions, one chaired by Leon Panetta, the other appointed by President Bush. Both agreed the decline of our ocean ecosystem was a threat to the nation's economy, security and environment. In 2009 the second Blue Vision Summit helped launch a process of citizen-endorsed reforms that led to President Obama signing an executive order in July 2010. This established a first ever U.S. National Ocean Policy to better coordinate the uses of our public seas to assure their long term ecological health and sustain our coastal and ocean economies and the jobs they provide.
The Blue Vision Summit will also feature the 4th Annual Peter Benchely Ocean Awards on Saturday, May 21. Recipients will include President Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, Dr. Steve Palumbi, Admiral Thad Allen (USCG, Ret.), Dr. Greg Stone, Washington Post reporter Juliet Eilperin, Rudy Sanchez and People for Puget Sound's Kathy Fletcher.
On Monday, May 23 Summit leaders will stage the largest ever Capitol Hill Ocean Day aimed at educating our elected representatives on why we need to protect the blue in our red, white and blue.
WHO: List of attendees and participants (with bios) available online
http://www.bluefront.org/blue_vision_blog/bvs3
WHERE: Carnegie Institution 1530 P St. NW, 20005 (Friday and Saturday nights) dinner)
The George Washington University Marvin Center 800 21st Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20052 (Saturday and Sunday)
Capitol Hill and The Mott House 122 Maryland Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 (Mon)
WHEN: May 20-23, 2011
For more information please contact
David Helvarg, Blue Frontier Campaign
Office: 510-778-8470
Or: Trevor S. FitzGibbon, FITZGIBBON/Media
Office: 202-506-7162