Press Releases

Today, Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) celebrated the final federal step in creating the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary taken today by the Biden-Harris Administration.

“The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary has been a twinkle in the eye of the Central Coast for more than a generation. Today, that long-held idea of creating a marine sanctuary off the Central Coast finally becomes reality with the final federal step in the process officially submitted by the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Rep. Carbajal. “I am grateful to the Indigenous and community leaders who have helped advocate for these protections over the past decade and more. The historic designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary comes not a moment too soon. As our oceans and communities unprecedented challenges from a changing marine environment, this new sanctuary comes at a critical time for our region. I look forward to continuing to work with our local stakeholders and federal partners to implement this sanctuary – which will nearly double the amount of coastline protected along the Central Coast – and build on them to protect every coastal community and ecosystem in our region."

Earlier today, the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) submitted their final rule and management plan for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, covering 4,543 square miles off the Central Coast from Gaviota and Point Conception to Pismo Beach and southern San Luis Obispo County. The sanctuary will cover 116 miles of coastline, entirely within California’s 24^th Congressional District, and be the third largest marine sanctuary in U.S. history.

The sanctuary is the first ever to be nominated by an Indigenous group.

The final rule and management plan will be transmitted to the State of California for final review, which is expected to be completed by mid-December.

The plans released by NOAA today also lay the groundwork for a later expansion of the marine sanctuary boundaries to cover Avila Beach and Morro Bay, connecting the new sanctuary with the southern-most border of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This framework mirrors the approach endorsed earlier this year by local indigenous communities and the leaseholders of the proposed offshore wind sites off Morro Bay, as well as Rep. Carbajal and other local leaders.

Rep. Carbajal has been a consistent advocate for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary since coming to Congress in 2017.

In 2020, Carbajal and California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris successfully secured an extension of the proposed sanctuary from the Trump Administration, keeping the process alive for enough time for the Biden-Harris Administration to move forward with the designation process in 2021 without needing to review a new proposal.

The proposed sanctuary moved into the designation phase in November 2021.

Rep. Carbajal has also advocated balancing this sanctuary with the development of floating offshore wind off the Central Coast.

As a result of lobbying efforts by Rep. Carbajal and other local stakeholders and officials, including through Rep. Carbajal’s Offshore Wind Working Group, Carbajal and Biden Administration leaders unveiled an agreement in May 2021 to allow offshore wind development off the coast of Morro Bay.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s environmental review of the proposed offshore wind leases in Morro Bay found no significant potential impacts on Central Coast ecosystems.