States seek trust fund for oceans

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Pacific state governors want Congress to create a trust fund to help pay for ocean-protection efforts along the West Coast.

The governors of California, Oregon and Washington on Tuesday sent a letter requesting that Congress set aside $5 million for the initiative.

They also released a 113-page action plan to combat threats to the ocean, such as oil spills, climate change, invasive species and declining fisheries. The plan also seeks funding to map the ocean floor along the coast and study the potential to tap the ocean for energy.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says each state depends on a healthy Pacific Ocean.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also support the plan.