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Hudson Canyon, a vast gorge in the Atlantic Ocean that is home to endangered whales, sharks and sea turtles, will become a national marine sanctuary in a bid by the Biden administration Wednesday.

Hudson Canyon, about 100 miles southeast of the Statue of Liberty, will be closed to oil and gas drilling to protect marine life and cold-water corals, as well as a few shipwrecks.

Details, including the boundaries of the proposed sanctuary and prohibited activities beyond drilling, have yet to be disclosed. The proposal will go through a public comment process until August 8 before being finalized.

Richard W. Spinrad, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said, “A sanctuary near one of the most densely populated areas of the northeastern United States will connect the region’s diverse communities to the ocean and the canyon in new and different ways.” said in a statement. He said the sanctuary would leave “a lasting legacy for future generations.”

Hudson Canyon will be the first national marine sanctuary in New York and New Jersey, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium, which nominated the area for conservation in 2016.

Hudson Canyon is located partially in New York Bay. an area where a wind farm is planned. The designation is not expected to interfere with offshore wind turbines, but a NOAA spokesperson said the administration will work with states to “fully understand the implications for any offshore wind lease sites in the New York Bay and Hudson Canyon area.”

The National Oceanic Industries Association, which represents oil and gas as well as offshore wind developers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Conservationists have described the Hudson Canyon as a fragile and complex marine ecosystem that must be permanently free from oil, gas and mineral extraction. Creating a marine protected area will also allow Hudson Canyon to serve as a place for NOAA to monitor the effects of climate change on submarine canyons that are vulnerable to ocean acidification and oxygen depletion.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to support marine conservation and deepen the connection of more than 28 million residents of New York and New Jersey to our precious ocean resources.” John Calvelli, deputy general manager Wildlife Conservation Society, in a statement.

The proposed appointment comes as President Biden’s climate and conservation agenda stagnates in Congress. As a result, the administration relied on executive authority to achieve its goals.

Comparable in depth to the Grand Canyon, Hudson Canyon was created more than 10,000 years ago during the last ice age. It is approximately 400 nautical miles long and reaches a depth of 10,500 feet.

200 species of fish and 17 species of marine mammals living in Hudson Canyon, as well as migratory birds and whales stop by Hudson Canyon to feed. Ships lying beneath the surface include mid-19th century freighters and United States military radar platforms.

The administration also announced a plan to phase out single-use plastics in national parks and public lands by 2032. In 2011, the Obama administration encouraged national parks to stop selling single-use plastics, but this policy was reversed by the Trump administration.

In a secretarial order Wednesday, Home Secretary Deb Haaland has instructed department staff to find biodegradable or compostable alternatives for such products.

“The Department of Home Affairs is committed to playing a leading role in reducing the impact of plastic waste on our ecosystems and climate,” Ms Haaland said in a statement.