I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5797 
To protect certain seamounts, ridges, and banks in the Exclusive Economic 
Zone off the coast of California by the establishment of the California 
Seamounts and Ridges National Marine Conservation Area, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 14, 2016 
Mr. FARR (for himself and Mr. TED LIEU of California) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To protect certain seamounts, ridges, and banks in the Ex-
clusive Economic Zone off the coast of California by 
the establishment of the California Seamounts and 
Ridges National Marine Conservation Area, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘California Seamounts 
and Ridges National Marine Conservation Area Designa-
tion and Management Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The California Seamounts and Ridges Na-
tional Marine Conservation Area established by this 
Act contains a series of ancient volcanos and under-
water geological features in the Exclusive Economic 
Zone. 
(2) Found on the seamounts, ridges, and banks 
in the Conservation Area are rare deep-water corals, 
sponges, anemones, tunas, sharks, seabirds, marine 
mammals (including orcas, sperm whales, and blue 
whales), endangered sea turtles, octopuses, and di-
verse fish populations, some of which are endemic to 
the area. 
(3) The only hydrothermal vents in the conti-
nental Exclusive Economic Zone are found on Gorda 
Ridge located off the north coast of California and 
the south coast of Oregon. 
(4) These areas’ remote location and depth con-
tribute to their remarkably pristine condition, lim-
ited human footprint, and reputation as a vital fron-
tier for scientific discovery, with research expeditions 
continuing to yield new and rare species, greater un-
derstanding about ecological relationships, and re-
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newed appreciation of the uniqueness of deep-sea 
ecosystems. 
(5) Despite currently limited direct pressure 
from extractive use, the Conservation Area is under-
going rapid change due to warming waters, ocean 
acidification, and ecological stress from pollution and 
other sources the management of which transcends 
the jurisdiction of any single government agency or 
department. 
(6) According to many scientists, comprehensive 
marine habitat protection is one of the most impor-
tant actions for building resilience in ocean environ-
ments to current and emerging challenges presented 
by anthropogenic and other stressors impacting ma-
rine ecosystems. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to protect, 
conserve, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of 
present and future generations the nationally significant 
historical, natural, cultural, scientific, and educational val-
ues of the California Seamounts and Ridges National Ma-
rine Conservation Area. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) EXCLUSIVE
ECONOMIC
ZONE.—The term 
‘‘Exclusive Economic Zone’’ means the Exclusive 
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Economic Zone of the United States established by 
Presidential Proclamation No. 5030 of March 10, 
1983. 
(2) CONSERVATION
AREA.—The term ‘‘Con-
servation Area’’ means the California Seamounts 
and Ridges National Marine Conservation Area es-
tablished by section 4(a). 
(3) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF.—The term 
‘‘Outer Continental Shelf’’ has the meaning given 
the term ‘‘outer Continental Shelf’’ in section 2 of 
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331). 
SEC. 4. DESIGNATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Cali-
fornia Seamounts and Ridges National Marine Conserva-
tion Area, consisting of the waters of the Exclusive Eco-
nomic Zone and the Outer Continental Shelf contained in 
the area described in subsection (b). 
(b) AREA DESCRIBED.—The area referred to in sub-
section (a)— 
(1) is the area generally depicted as the Con-
servation Area on the map entitled ‘‘llll’’ and 
dated lll, as is more particularly described by 
the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the 
Interior under subsection (c); and 
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(2) includes— 
(A) Gorda Ridge; 
(B) the portion of Mendocino Ridge in the 
Conservation Area west of longitude 125° 40′ 
4.8″ W; and 
(C) Guide, Pioneer, Taney, Gumdrop, 
Rodriguez, 
San 
Juan, 
and 
Northeast 
seamounts. 
(c) DETAIL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION AND MAP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior shall 
jointly develop a detailed boundary description and 
map of the Conservation Area. 
(2) FORCE AND EFFECT.—The map and bound-
ary description developed under paragraph (1) shall 
have the same force and effect as if included in this 
Act, except that the Secretaries may correct any 
minor errors in the map and boundary descriptions. 
(3) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The map and 
boundary description developed under paragraph (1) 
shall be on file and available for public inspection 
within the management plan required under section 
5 of this Act. 
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SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce and 
the Secretary of the Interior shall have joint responsibility 
for management of the California Seamounts and Ridges 
National Marine Conservation Area. 
(b) CONSULTATION AND MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretaries may not im-
plement the establishment of the Conservation Area 
without— 
(A) direct and thorough consultation with 
the Pacific Fishery Management Council, stake-
holders from commercial and recreational fish-
ing sectors, and other key fishery groups, in-
cluding working with such persons and affected 
Indian tribes to develop and implement a plan 
for the comprehensive and long-term protection 
and management of the Conservation Area; and 
(B) prior, timely, and ongoing notice and 
consultation between the Secretaries and af-
fected Indian tribes, including working with 
such Indian tribes to— 
(i) develop and implement mutually 
agreed-upon plans for the comprehensive 
and long-term protection and management 
of the Conservation Area; and 
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(ii) ensure that management of the 
Conservation Area does not in any way im-
pact traditional uses of the waters of the 
Conservation Area by members of such 
tribes. 
(2) PROHIBITIONS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The plan required 
under paragraph (1)(A) shall, subject to sub-
paragraph (B) and subsections (c) and (d), pro-
hibit— 
(i) exploring for, developing, or pro-
ducing oil, gas, or minerals; 
(ii) using or attempting to use poi-
sons, electrical charges, or explosives in the 
collection or harvest of any living or non-
living marine resource; 
(iii) intentionally introducing or other-
wise releasing an introduced species from 
within or into the Conservation Area; 
(iv) anchoring on or having a vessel 
anchored on any living or dead coral in the 
Conservation Area; 
(v) drilling into, dredging, or other-
wise altering the Outer Continental Shelf 
in the Conservation Area; and 
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(vi) other activities determined by the 
Secretary, as appropriate for the long-term 
protection and management of the Con-
servation Area. 
(B) EXCEPTIONS.—The prohibitions set 
forth in subparagraph (A) shall not apply to— 
(i) activities and exercises of the 
Armed Forces (including those carried out 
by the Coast Guard) that are consistent 
with applicable laws; 
(ii) actions necessary to respond to 
emergencies threatening life, property, or 
the environment, and activities necessary 
for national security or law enforcement 
purposes; 
(iii) scientific exploration or research 
activities, subject to such terms and condi-
tions as the Secretaries consider necessary 
for the care and management of the living 
and nonliving marine resources of the Con-
servation Area; 
(iv) the troll Albacore fishery; and 
(v) recreational fishing and charter 
fishing, as those terms are defined in sec-
tion 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
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Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 1802). 
(c) EMERGENCIES, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND LAW 
ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The prohibitions required by 
subsection (b) shall not apply to activities necessary 
to respond to emergencies threatening life, property, 
or the environment, or to activities necessary for na-
tional security or law enforcement purposes. 
(2) EMERGENCY RESPONSE.—Nothing in this 
Act limits the authority of government agencies to 
take actions to respond to emergencies that pose an 
unacceptable threat to human health or safety or to 
the marine environment and for which there is no 
other feasible solution. 
(d) ARMED FORCES ACTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The prohibitions required by 
subsection (b) shall not apply to activities and exer-
cises of the Armed Forces, including those carried 
out by the Coast Guard. 
(2) COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT.—The Armed 
Forces shall ensure, by the adoption of appropriate 
measures not impairing their operations or oper-
ational capabilities, that its vessels and aircraft op-
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erate in a manner consistent, so far as is reasonable 
and practicable, with this Act. 
(3) DESTRUCTION OF, LOSS OF, OR INJURY TO 
LIVING MARINE RESOURCES.—In the event of threat-
ened or actual destruction of, loss of, or injury to a 
living marine resource of the Conservation Area re-
sulting from an incident caused by a component of 
the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, in-
cluding as a result of a spill of oil or other haz-
ardous material or vessel grounding, the responsible 
component shall promptly coordinate with the Sec-
retary of the Interior or Commerce, as appropriate, 
for the purpose of taking appropriate actions to re-
spond to and mitigate any actual harm and, if pos-
sible, restore or replace the affected Conservation 
Area resources. 
(4) MILITARY
PROPERTY
NOT
AFFECTED.— 
Nothing in this Act or any regulation implementing 
it limits or otherwise affects the Armed Forces dis-
cretion to use, maintain, improve, manage, or con-
trol any property under the administrative control of 
a military department or otherwise limit the avail-
ability of such property for military mission pur-
poses. 
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SEC. 6. WITHDRAWALS. 
The areas of the Outer Continental Shelf comprised 
of Cortes and Tanner Banks, and of the portion of 
Mendocino Ridge bounded by a square with a south-
western corner located at 40° 0′ N, 125° 40′ 4.8″ W and 
a northeastern corner located at 40° 30′ N, 125° 10′ 4.8″ 
W, are withdrawn from commercial leasing under Federal 
law for exploration, development, or production of oil and 
gas, mining minerals, energy sighting, and cable laying. 
Æ 
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