Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Pacific Ocean is under threat from climate change and pollution.  That was the message Tuesday from three west coast governors, who announced a plan to help the coastal ecosystem.  Salem correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

The governors of Washington, Oregon and California outlined an agreement they say will enable the states to jointly tackle threats to the Pacific Ocean.

The states will work together to reduce pollution runoff and combat invasive species, among other things.  

The three governors made a joint statement by video uplink. Washington Governor Chris Gregoire spoke on the shores of the Puget Sound near Tacoma.

Chris Gregoire:  “Our waters provide us our heritage, our culture, how we raise our families. And I know Governors Kulongoski and Schwarzenegger share this passion and that all of our peoples share the passion to protect these waters.”

Protecting the ocean is part of the agreement.  Harvesting its power is another.

It comes in the form of a renewed push for research and development of wave energy from ocean currents.

Ben Enticknap is with a conservation group called Oceana.  He says west coast states should move forward cautiously when it comes to turning waves into watts.

Ben Enticknap:  “We have to be better understanding of what the environmental impacts are going to be before we move forward.  For example, what about grey whales migrating down the coast from the Artic to Baja, and how are they going to be interacting with these offshore energy parks?”

The agreement doesn’t address the use of the ocean to transport liquefied natural gas.  That's been a contentious issue along the Oregon coast.  Governor Ted Kulongoski says the three LNG terminals proposed for his state are a separate issue.

Online:

West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health