Pres. Bush, the environmentalist?

President Bush will be leaving a surprising legacy as a marine conservationist.

"Invoking powers of the Antiquities Act of 1906 that are used to protect statues and cultural sites, Bush will sharply restrict oil and gas exploration and commercial fishing around numerous remote islands in the central and western Pacific that have long been U.S. possessions. Scientists identified them as biologically and geologically rich areas. The monuments, which together are equal in size to Spain, include regions teeming with sharks and other top marine predators, along with vibrant coral and hydrothermal vents. "

Bush to Protect Three Areas in Pacific
Marine Monuments Burnish an Environmental Record That Is Seen as Mixed

By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, January 6, 2009; Page A01