AB 2139 designed to tackle ocean acidification and impact on ecosystems
SACRAMENTO — Assemblyman Das Williams, D-Carpinteria, is urging environmentalists and government officials to work together and find solutions to the growing problem of ocean acidification and its impact on the health of our oceans.
Williams’ AB 2139 was approved on Tuesday by the Assembly and now moves to the Governor for his signature. Scientists believe that high acid content in oceans can hinder species growth, which affects other species in the predator/prey relationship, resulting in cascading changes in the ecosystem.
The bill authorizes the California Ocean Protection Council to develop an ocean acidification and hypoxia science task force to ensure that decision-making is supported by the best available science. The bill directs the Ocean Protection Council to take various actions to help California address and adapt to the challenge of ocean acidification.
“We must protect our ocean health and view it as equally important to the threat posed by global climate change,” Williams said. “The high amounts of carbon dioxide that are absorbed by the ocean leads to acidification, which wreaks havoc on the ocean ecosystem.”
While many scientists have focused on the benefits of the ocean removing greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, scientists are now noticing the dramatic impact it is having on the chemistry of the seawater. The state does not currently have enough data at its disposal to evaluate the scope of the problem or make educated policy decisions. Williams’ bill will encourage policy makers to develop strategies to address this deficiency, including generating an inventory of Ocean Acidification “hot spots,” developing predictive models of Ocean Acidification, and defining gaps between monitoring efforts and management needs.
Website: www.asm.ca.gov/Williams
