HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200616_Chumash Marine Sanctuary
16 June 2020
William Douros
West Coast Reginal Director
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries,
99 Pacific Street
Suite 100F
Monterey, CA 93940
RE: NOAA Nomination of Chumash National Marine Sanctuary
Mr. Douros,
The City of San Luis Obispo strongly supports designation of the proposed Chumash Heritage
National Marine Sanctuary and urges the NOAA to maintain the nomination in their inventory.
This nomination will fill the gap between two existing sanctuaries, magnify the positive effect of
those existing sanctuaries, and protect an area that is central to California's history and ecology.
Chumash peoples fished and gathered in this region, early California ranchos shipped through
there, and this region is central to California's history and ecology.
The coast is vital to California. The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will help sustain
biodiversity, provide recreational opportunity for the people of the state and the nation, and help
sustain the economy based on tourism.
This region is ecologically unique and contains areas of special historical significance , due to the
Chumash people living in the region for thousands of years before.
The City of San Luis Obispo asks that NOAA considers the changes in this crucial region over the
past five years to analyze the additional projects and proposed policy changes affecting
California’s Central Coast that could have a direct impact on the proposed sanctuary and which
NOAA should take into account in updating its evaluation of management consideration.
Sincerely,
Heidi Harmon
Mayor
cc: San Luis Obispo City Council