Donald Trump’s executive order to open the floodgates on offshore oil drilling means terrible things for the part of the Earth covered by the ocean. One of the more immediate casualties of this executive order is the end to a planned expansion of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico.
The sanctuary actually protects three separate areas: East Flower Garden Bank, West Flower Garden Bank, and Stetson Bank. The reef caps at East and West Flower Garden Banks are about 13 miles apart, while Stetson Bank lies about 30 miles to the northwest of West Flower Garden Bank. The miles of open ocean between banks range in depth from 200 to 500 feet (61-152 meters). Each bank has its own set of boundaries.
Inside Climate News explains that Trump’s executive order threatens to undo important steps forward in preserving our oceans, that have taken decades of data and years of consideration to arrive upon.
The sanctuary expansion was proposed by the Obama administration last year and was to be finalized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in early 2018. It drew on 30 years of scientific research, public meetings and comments, as well as the recommendations of task forces convened after BP's 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.
While Flower Garden Banks did not suffer direct impacts from the worst oil spill in U.S. history 400 miles to the east, the oil and chemical dispersants ravaged surrounding reefs and banks. Some of those areas would become part of the preserve, if the proposal's most extensive option is approved. The coral reefs are also under stress from climate change: Flower Garden Banks suffered the worst bleaching in its known history last year.
Most environmentalists consider this plan to be “modest” at best, but even “modest” is better than the underwater world sans scientific data that oil and gas companies are pushing for.
NOAA, which was to release its final environmental analysis of the plan as early as this month, is awaiting guidance from the administration. "We only know what the language [of the order] says," said George Schmahl, the sanctuary superintendent. He said a straight reading of Trump's order does not mean the expansion is dead; it calls for study of resources, which already is underway.
White House officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Right now, it’s hard to stay positive about anything that might come out of this White House. Maybe tell them that the White Flower Garden Banks promises to stay exclusively at Trump hotels?