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The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary has reached an important milestone on its path to designation. On Friday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed sanctuary. The agency’s preferred alternative would include 4,543 square miles of coastal and offshore waters along 116 miles of California’s central coast. It would become the third largest sanctuary in the National Marine Sanctuary System and the first Indigenous-proposed sanctuary in the country.
Members of the Northern Chumash Tribe have advocated for protecting the area as a marine sanctuary for decades. “This is a huge moment for the Chumash People and all who have tirelessly supported our campaign over the years,” said Violet Sage Walker, chairwoman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council.
NOAA received more than 110,000 comments from the public during a 60-day public comment period that ended October 2023, with over 99 percent supporting the sanctuary designation. After 30 days the final management plan and regulations can be released, with the official sanctuary designation expected later this year.
“We would not be celebrating this important milestone today were it not for the decades of leadership from the Northern Chumash Tribe and other California Indigenous people and community members who have worked tirelessly to establish the nation’s first Indigenous-proposed marine sanctuary,” said Lauren Bogard, Director of Campaigns and Special Projects at the Center for Western Priorities. “Thank you, President Biden, for listening to the Tribal and community leaders who have been leading this effort for the past 40 years.”
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