by Kerry Sheridan Kerry Sheridan – 1 hr 56 mins ago AFP/File – Fish swim near coral reefs. President George W. Bush on Tuesday defended his record on the environment … WASHINGTON (AFP) – President George W. Bush on Tuesday defended his record on the environment as he designated three regions in the Pacific Ocean as the world's largest marine protected areas. The trio of "marine national monuments" span a total of 195,274 square miles (505,757 square kilometers) and include the Mariana Trench and northern Mariana Islands, the Rose Atoll in American Samoa and a chain of remote islands in the Central Pacific. "The monuments will prohibit resource destruction or extraction, waste dumping and commercial fishing," Bush said in a speech. "They will allow for research, free passage, and recreation -- including the possibility of... [read full story]
