Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan (R) endorsed by radical environmentalist group
Florida Representative proudly posted on his Facebook page an endorsement by Ocean Champions:
But who is Ocean Champions?
According to its website:
Ocean Champions is a 501(c)(4) organization with a connected political action committee – the first national organization of its kind focused solely on oceans and ocean wildlife. Our goal is to create a political environment where protecting and restoring the oceans is a national government priority. By helping to elect pro-ocean Congressional candidates and engaging with Congress to pass pro-ocean laws and shoot down bills that would harm the ocean.
What does Ocean Champions mean by having a goal to “create a political environment where protecting and restoring the oceans is a national government priority” and to “pass pro-ocean laws and shoot down bills that would harm the ocean?”
Under the Obama administration this meant implementation of the National Ocean Policy on July 19, 2010, known as “Ocean Zoning.” This policy was fully supported by Ocean Champions and twelve other environment groups. In a July 19, 2010 press release titled “Conservation Groups Applaud National Ocean Policy” David Wilmot, Ph.D., President and Co-Founder of Ocean Champion stated:
The nation can now look to the National Ocean Policy to provide a guiding vision for all federal agencies and a needed mandate for the future protection and restoration of our coasts, oceans, islands and Great Lakes.
The House Committee on Natural Resources wrote this about the Obama administration’s National Ocean Policy:
- In four separate Congresses, legislation has been introduced to implement similar far-reaching ocean policies, and to-date NO bill has passed the House or been reported out of a Committee. Despite numerous requests from the Committee, the administration has yet to cite specific statutory authority on which this policy is based.
- Rather than streamline Federal management, the policy adds layers of additional Federal bureaucracy that could significantly impact the economic and recreational uses of our oceans, ocean lands, and potentially all rivers, tributaries and lands that drain or adjoin our oceans. In total, the Executive Order creates: 10 National Policies; a 27-member National Ocean Council; an 18-member Governance Coordinating Committee; and 9 Regional Planning Bodies. This has led to an additional: 9 National Priority Objectives; 9 Strategic Action Plans; 7 National Goals for Coastal Marine Spatial Planning; and 12 Guiding Principles for Coastal Marine Spatial Planning to be created.
- Restrictive national standards, along with ocean zoning, could slow and potentially stop the permitting of activities such as commercial and recreational fishing and energy production. This will harm the economy and cost jobs.
- Although the policy is portrayed by the administration as primarily targeting Ocean related activities, recently released documents show just the opposite. The draft implement plan specifically states that the policy plans to address “the major impacts of urban and suburban development and agriculture—including forestry and animal feedlots.”
- The policy establishes a Federally-controlled system of regional planning bodies that could override local and state zoning authorities. These bodies will have broad authority to issue regulations potentially impacting all activities that occur on lands adjacent to rivers, tributaries or watersheds that eventually drain into the ocean, yet these bodies will allow no representation by the people, communities and businesses that will actually be impacted by the regulations.
- The new national standards will also create a whole new class of lawsuits that could further restrict permitting of coastal and ocean activities and create a new way to challenge state permitting decisions for activities that “might affect” the ocean environment. This initiative is poised to become a litigation nightmare.
- Over 80 national and local organizations representing agriculture, forestry, energy, fishing, boating, mining, transportation and construction wrote to Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers requesting a prohibition on funding for the implementation of the President’s National Ocean Policy.
- This new policy will affect already budget-strapped agencies such as NOAA, Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, EPA, Department of Transportation, USDA, Homeland Security, and the Army Corps of Engineers. As Federal budgets are further reduced, it is unclear how much funding the agencies are taking from existing programs to develop and implement this new initiative. [Emphasis added]
So Buchanan is against Florida’s fishing, boating, agricultural, forestry and energy industries. He wants to take control of Florida’s shorelines and give oversight to unelected bureaucrats. He wants less permitting for construction along Florida’s shores and more lawsuits.
So is Rep. Buchanan pro-Florida? Pro jobs and for a growing Florida economy. Is he for the working people of Florida or not.
According to the House Committee on Natural Resources you can’t be pro-ocean and pro-growth. Pick one: the people of Florida or the ocean.
We report, you do your own research.
RELATED ARTICLE:
Fishermen Need More Flexibility than NOAA Doles Out
Six Years Later, Strong Uncertainty About President Obama’s National Ocean Policy Remains
Ssdd,am I right,ive been watching the bureaucrats,always with the cry of protecting a species,pick one,take away our Creator granted rights,an replace with gov ordained privileges,if we,re lucky,and always for a fee. Since my childhood.im a young 52 now. I became curious as to how,this gov can jus take away careers,lifestyles,in the land of the Free? Kinda strange I thought,after reading the Constitution,it appeared to me,its worded very succinctly,as to the general or federal govs duties,powers,theyre few and enumerated. The bill of rights,is right there to back it up,in plain if somewhat antiquated English,an I’m jus dam if I can see,where they’re granted authority over any of this,an appear for the most to b operating under the color of law,but I thought we we’re a nation of law,but according to my understanding,anything that is not following or pursuant to general constitution,or states constitution,is null and void? Was that just nice story? Because to me,simply following the Constitution,clears the B’s,right quick,its really pretty simple,it appears,no need for 20yrs at haaaavard. I mean really,i see no sense in playing a game,where your opponent makes the rules up to suit himself. That’s some pretty commonsense thinkn right there,but I haven’t had much formal indoctrination. Mebbe that’s how I can see it for what it is? Seem to member ol Franklin,when asked,what They had given us,by an lady,he answered,A Republic mamn,as long as you can Keep it. Kinda relevant ain’t it? Anyhow,its said,those who fail to study,learn history,r doomed to repeat it,an even ol Einstein,said to do,the same things over and over,expectin diff results,was definition of insanity. Power corrupts,absolute power,absolutely corrupts. May God bless us All. It would b really nice if I cud jus go back to simply being a fisherman,furtrapper,an trying to b the best as I cud,morally,ethically,economically,the simple things,rounding the home stretch turn of river,an seeing lights of home,hot coffee,meal,family. Majority of the self-sufficient families,gone now from the tidelands,storms,followed by rezoning dictates,the closesure of fisheries,peta,cca,gcca,the spotted owls,lynx,tortoises,smelt.oh well they say it’s progress,always bigger an better,yep,i had to move on,licensed mariner now,neverendin schoolin,classes,fees an certificates,they jus started enforcing more regs on stcw,s that freaking Jimmy Carter signed into law,in the 70,s. Oh then we got twic,absolutely mandatory to have,to enter bout any port,but I’ve only seen two that has card reader for em.lol,they wanna see DL or mmc,s. U know twic-tsa,another fine establishment. I’ve only met One person in airport security,that even knew what a twic was,but it’s been cuplA yrs,i don’t fly anymore either.but I hear they have nother card Fastpass,suppose to git u thru without bein groped,for 120.00,twic still no good tho. But anyway,i jus stumbled across this fishery website,i haven’t paid much mind to the goins on in fishing industry,considerd it gone. And it is,but I still see y’all r steadily debating,and I see we’re steadily losing,rights,heritage,culture. I feel y’all,even tho I don’t know y’all,and I don’t fish,its the same ol battle with ever encroaching bureaucracy in Every aspect of life. I see it gitn lot worse,before even a chance of gitn better,. I sincerely hope I’m wrong,but I’m not blind. I want to say,yall do,imo,have a Great,informative website here,with sum hard questions being asked of tptb. And I support,each an everyone of ya,just like I’d support anybody trying to stand-up to the leviathan. Plz excuse my rant,thats been building for yrs. So i,ll wish y’all fair seas,favorable winds. I,ll b following y’all,take care,Godbless