Union Calendar No. 244

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3886

[Report No. 103–441]

A BILL

To amend the boundaries of the Flower Garden

Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

MARCH 21, 1994

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the

State of the Union and ordered to be printed
IB

★

Union Calendar No. 244

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3886

[Report No. 103–441]

To amend the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine

Sanctuary.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 23, 1994

Mr. ORTIZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

MARCH 21, 1994

Additional sponsors: Mr. FIELDS of Texas, Mr. WELDON, and Mr. LAUGHLIN

MARCH 21, 1994

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union

and ordered to be printed

A BILL

To amend the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks

National Marine Sanctuary.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2

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1 SECTION 1. FLOWER GARDEN BANKS BOUNDARY MODI2 FICATION.

3 (a) MODIFICATION.—Notwithstanding section 304 of

4 the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1434),

5 the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Ma6 rine Sanctuary, as designated by Public Law 102–251, are

7 amended to include the area described in subsection (d),

8 popularly known as Stetson Bank. This area shall be part

9 of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

10 and shall be managed and regulated as though it had been

11 designated by the Secretary of Commerce under the Na12 tional Marine Sanctuaries Act.

13 (b) DEPICTION OF SANCTUARY BOUNDARIES.—The

14 Secretary of Commerce shall—

15 (1) prepare a chart depicting the boundaries of

16 the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanc17 tuary, as modified by this section; and

18 (2) submit copies of this chart to the Commit19 tee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House

20 of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,

21 Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

22 (c) APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS.—Regulations is23 sued by the Secretary of Commerce to implement the des24 ignation of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine

25 Sanctuary shall apply to the area described in subsection

26 (d), unless modified by the Secretary. This subsection
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1 shall take effect 45 days after the date of enactment of

2 this Act.

3 (d) AREA DESCRIBED.—

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para5 graph (2), the area referred to in subsections (a),

6 (b), and (c) is the area that is—

7 (A) generally depicted on the Department

8 of the Interior, Minerals Management Service

9 map titled ‘‘Western Gulf of Mexico, Lease Sale

10 143, September 1993, Biologically Sensitive

11 Areas, Map 3 of 3, Final’’;

12 (B) labeled ‘‘Stetson’’ on the High Island

13 Area South Addition diagram on that map; and

14 (C) within the 52 meter isobath.

15 (2) MINOR BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS.—The

16 Secretary of Commerce may make minor adjust17 ments to the boundaries of the area described in

18 paragraph (1) as necessary to protect living coral re19 sources or to simplify administration of the Flower

20 Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

21 (e) PUBLICATION OF NOTICE.—

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce

23 shall, as soon as practicable after the date of the en24 actment of this Act, publish in the Federal Register

25 a notice describing—
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1 (A) the boundaries of the Flower Garden

2 Banks National Marine Sanctuary, as modified

3 by this section, and

4 (B) any modification of regulations appli5 cable to that Sanctuary that are necessary to

6 implement that modification of the boundaries

7 of the Sanctuary.

8 (2) TREATMENT AS NOTICE REQUIRED UNDER

9 NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES ACT.—A notice

10 published under paragraph (1) shall be considered to

11 be the notice required to be published under section

12 304(b)(1) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act

13 (16 U.S.C. 1434).