A major deal has been announced in efforts to create a new marine sanctuary off the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County coastlines. The Northern Chumash Tribal Council and the Morro Bay Offshore Wind leaseholders have jointly endorsed a plan to allow the creation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, while also allowing wind development.
The proposal calls for starting off with a northern boundary for the sanctuary just north of Port San Luis. Then, after some of the power projects are in place, the boundary would be expanded north. The new sanctuary would connect with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
The chair of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council says this approach helps fight climate change with clean power, while establishing the sanctuary.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is in the process of finalizing the proposed boundaries for the preserve, which would include more than 130 miles of coastline and 5600 square miles of ocean.
