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ACTION TIMELINEFebruary 28, 2007 – In an effort to stem ocean acidification, the Center petitioned the state of California to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources under the Clean Water Act. Later that year, the Center petitioned nine other coastal states to declare their ocean waters impaired under the Clean Water Act due to ocean acidification. December 18, 2007 – The Center petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen water-quality standards for ocean pH and to publish guidelines to assist states in meeting those standards. November 13, 2008 – The Center filed a notice of intent to sue the EPA for its failure to protect coastal waters by strengthening water-quality standards for pH to confront ocean acidification. April 14, 2009 – In response to the Center’s petition and notice of intent to sue, the EPA announced that ocean acidification would be evaluated as a threat to water quality under the Clean Water Act. May 14, 2009 – The Center filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA for failing to address ocean acidification on the coast of Washington State under the Clean Water Act. This was the first lawsuit ever to address the problem of ocean acidification. October 20, 2009 – The Center filed a scientific petition to protect 83 corals as threatened or endangered due to overarching threats that global warming and ocean acidification pose to their survival. December 14, 2009 – The Center completed its effort to petition every coastal state to designate ocean and coastal waters as threatened or impaired by ocean acidification under the Clean Water Act. January 20, 2010 – The Center notified the National Marine Fisheries Service of our intent to sue the agency for its failure to respond to a petition seeking to protect 83 imperiled coral species under the Endangered Species Act. April 16, 2013 – The Obama administration released its National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, intended to strengthen ocean health and coordinate national management — but missing badly needed steps to reduce carbon pollution plaguing oceans and rapidly transforming marine life. |
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