"The Obama administration is proposing a grant program that could start zoning marine areas for offshore projects.

The White House released a fiscal 2011 budget proposal this week that includes $20 million in grants for regional ocean partnerships. The competitive grants would support planning for marine zoning.

Advocates of the zoning effort say the proposal -- a small part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's $5.55 billion annual budget -- would be a big step toward helping improving the marine management."

Allison Winter reports for Greenwire February 5, 2010.
[2]