September 9, 2024 — NOAA has completed another milestone toward achieving U.S. President Joe Biden’s goal of establishing a new national marine sanctuary off the coast of central California, releasing the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.
“Today, our administration is taking a critical step toward designating the first Indigenous-proposed National Marine Sanctuary,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement. “As a senator, I was proud to support efforts to create the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off California’s coast to honor our commitments to Indigenous communities and promote natural spaces. President Biden and I will continue to protect, conserve, and restore lands and waters in communities across our nation.”