CORVALLIS, Ore. – Ocean acidification is a complex global
problem because of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, but
there also are a number of local acidification “hotspots”
plaguing coastal communities that don’t require international
attention – and which can be addressed now. A regulatory
framework already is in place to begin mitigating these local
hotspots, according to a team of scientists who outline their
case in a forum article in the journal Science. “Certainly,
ocean acidification on a global level continues to be a
challenge, but for local, non-fossil fuel-related events,
community leaders don’t have to sit back and wait for a
solution,” said George Waldbusser, an Oregon State University
ecologist and co-author of the paper. “Many of these local
contributions to acidity can be addressed through existing
regulations.” A number of existing federal environmental laws –
including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the
Coastal Zone Management Act – provide different layers of
protection fo