September 17, 2015 — There could soon be a national monument underwater off the coasts of Cape Cod and Maine.
President Obama has the authority to declare deepwater canyons and sea mounts a marine national monument.
Areas in the Pacific Ocean have been declared national monuments, but so far there are none in the Atlantic.
Representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, held a town hall meeting at the Providence Marriott Tuesday night to hear public comment.
Many at the meeting agreed that something has to be done to save and protect underwater canyons and coral reefs in New England.
But they did not agree on the best way to do that.
“Every one of these dives in a submarine canyon is kind of like a stroll through a Dr. Seuss-like garden,” Peter Auster, a marine ecologist, said.