14 DAY TRIAL // Having lots of people vote for you means becoming the President of the United States, and being the leader of this country means not having to ask for permission from the Congress when you want to grant legal protection to areas you feel deserve to be well looked after, Barack Obama seems to think.
Not to beat about the bush, it would appear that, this past Tuesday, President Barack Obama flexed his muscles – metaphorically speaking, of course – and used his executive authority to bypass Congress and expand the California Coastal National Monument.
More precisely, media reports say that the current United States President added roughly 1,665 acres (approximately 674 hectares) of the Mendocino County coastline to said protected area.
In a statement, President Barack Obama explained his initiative by pointing out the fact that, the way he saw things, it was his duty to stick to his promise to help the country preserve its beauties for the generations to come, LA Times tells us.
Thus, the President's exact words were as follows: “In my State of the Union address, I said I would use by authority to protect more of our pristine federal lands for future generations.”
Furthermore, “Our country is blessed with some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. It's up to us to protect them, so our children's children can experience them, too.”
The California Coastal National Monument was set up by President Clinton back in 2000, and it protects some 20,000 small islands, reefs, rocks and pinnacles located in the waters off California's coast.
Interestingly enough, it would appear that the 1,665 acres that were added to this protected area by President Barack Obama this past Tuesday represent the first land-based addition to the California Coastal National Monument.
According to wildlife researchers, the area is home to rare and endangered species such as coho salmon, steelhead, the Point Arena mountain beaver, and the Behren’s silverspot butterfly.
Harbor seals, Steller sea lions, and even elephant seals are known to visit the region on a regular basis.
Commenting on the President's decision to expand the California Coastal National Monument, Matt Lee-Ashley with the Center for American Progress stated as follows:
“The President’s decision to protect this stunning section of California’s coastline shows his commitment to helping communities protect the lands and waters they love.”
“It also sends a clear signal to Congress that – as the President has already made clear – he is not going to continue to wait while dozens of parks and wilderness bills remain stalled, year after year,” he added, as cited by Think Progress.