“U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday will designate nine sites in three areas of the central Pacific as marine national monuments, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Monday. The new areas make up the largest area of ocean set aside for marine conservation in the world — 195,280 square miles — and, coupled with a 138,000-square mile designation in Hawaii two years go, mean that Bush will have protected more of the ocean than any other president.” (01/05/09)