IIB 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 897 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JULY 9, 2024 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation 
AN ACT 
To provide for the establishment of the Alabama Underwater 
Forest National Marine Sanctuary, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Alabama Underwater 
Forest National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) An ancient cypress forest dating back 
50,000 to 70,000 years has been exposed in the Gulf 
of Mexico off the Alabama coastline. 
(2) The cypress trees, which were uncovered by 
massive waves associated with Hurricane Ivan, are 
still rooted in the mud they were growing in at least 
50,000 years ago. 
(3) The Underwater Forest site is unique on a 
global scale, the only known site where trees between 
50,000 and 70,000 years old have been preserved in-
tact with the ecosystem they were growing in. 
(4) Exploration of the site continues to yield in-
valuable scientific insight in a variety of fields, 
though scientists have just begun to study the an-
cient forest. 
SEC. 3. POLICY AND PURPOSE. 
(a) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States to 
protect and preserve the ancient cypress trees located off 
the coast of Alabama, known as the Alabama Underwater 
Forest. 
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(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to protect 
the resources of the area described in section 5(b), to edu-
cate and interpret for the public regarding the ancient 
Alabama Underwater Forest environment, and to manage 
human uses of the Alabama Underwater Forest National 
Marine Sanctuary consistent with this Act. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) 
SANCTUARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Sanctuary’’ 
means the Alabama Underwater Forest National 
Marine Sanctuary designated under section 5(a). 
(2) SECRETARY.—the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
SEC. 5. SANCTUARY DESIGNATION. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The area described in subsection 
(b) is designated as the Alabama Underwater Forest Na-
tional Marine Sanctuary pursuant to title III of the Ma-
rine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 
(16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.). 
(b) AREA INCLUDED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Sanctuary shall consist 
only of all waters and submerged lands within the 
boundary described in paragraph (2). 
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(2) BOUNDARY.—The boundary referred to in 
paragraph (1) shall encompass only the area within 
the following coordinates: 
(A) 30 degrees, 7 minutes, 20.2116 sec-
onds north latitude; 87 degrees, 49 minutes, 
15.7404 seconds west longitude. 
(B) 30 degrees, 7 minutes, 20.2116 sec-
onds north latitude; 87 degrees, 43 minutes, 
44.8536 seconds west longitude. 
(C) 30 degrees, 5 minutes, 42.6552 sec-
onds north latitude; 87 degrees, 49 minutes, 
15.7404 seconds west longitude. 
(D) 30 degrees, 5 minutes, 42.6552 sec-
onds north latitude; 87 degrees, 43 minutes, 
44.8536 seconds west longitude. 
(E) 30 degrees, 7 minutes, 20.2116 sec-
onds north latitude; 87 degrees, 49 minutes, 
15.7404 seconds west longitude. 
(3) CHARTS.—The Sanctuary shall be generally 
identified and depicted on National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration charts that shall be main-
tained on file and kept available for public examina-
tion during regular business hours at the Office of 
Ocean and Coastal Resource Management of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 
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in online format and which shall be updated to re-
flect boundary modifications made pursuant to this 
section. 
SEC. 6. PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN USES. 
(a) PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES.—The following activi-
ties are prohibited and are unlawful for any person to con-
duct or to cause to be conducted within the Sanctuary: 
(1) Cutting, removing, or any kind of sub-
surface salvage of the cypress trees. 
(2) Lowering below the surface of the water any 
grappling, suction, conveyor, dredging, or wrecking 
device. 
(3) Detonating below the surface of the water 
any explosive or explosive mechanism. 
(4) Drilling or coring the seabed. 
(5) Lowering, laying, positioning, or raising any 
type of seabed cable or cable-laying device. 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The prohibitions in sub-
section (a) shall not apply to the following: 
(A) Fishing, diving, mooring, or similar 
recreational or commercial activities. 
(B) Necessary operations of public vessels, 
including operations essential for national de-
fense, law enforcement, and responses to emer-
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gencies that threaten life, property, or the envi-
ronment. 
(C) Construction or placement of artificial 
reef structures for the purpose of enhancing 
fishery resources, fishing opportunities, or rec-
reational diving opportunities. 
(D) Exploration, development, or produc-
tion of oil or gas pursuant to a lease, permit, 
or other authorization, provided such lease, per-
mit, or authorization is issued on or before the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) OTHER ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Office of National Ma-
rine Sanctuaries, may allow a person to conduct an 
activity that would otherwise be prohibited under 
subsection (a) if such activity meets the standards of 
Title III of the Marine Protection, Research, and 
Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), 
as determined by the Secretary. 
SEC. 7. COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) PREPARATION OF PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, 
in consultation with appropriate Federal, State, and 
local government authorities and with the advisory 
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council established under section 8, shall develop a 
comprehensive management plan and implement reg-
ulations to achieve the policy and purpose of this 
Act. 
(2) APPLICABLE LAW.—In developing the com-
prehensive management plan and implementing reg-
ulations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
follow the procedures described in sections 303 and 
304 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanc-
tuaries Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1433 and 1434). 
(3) PLAN DETAILS.—The comprehensive man-
agement plan required under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) facilitate all public and private uses of 
the Sanctuary compatible with the primary ob-
jective of Sanctuary resource protection, with a 
focus on facilitating— 
(i) fishing, diving, or similar rec-
reational or commercial activities; and 
(ii) construction or placement of arti-
ficial reef structures for the purpose of en-
hancing fishery resources, fishing opportu-
nities, or recreational diving opportunities; 
(B) consider temporal and geographical 
zoning, to ensure protection of Sanctuary re-
sources; 
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(C) identify needs for research and ecologi-
cal monitoring; and 
(D) ensure coordination and cooperation 
between Sanctuary managers and— 
(i) other Federal, State, and local au-
thorities with jurisdiction within or adja-
cent to the Sanctuary; and 
(ii) owners, operators, and stake-
holders with respect to existing oil and gas 
operations within or adjacent to the Sanc-
tuary. 
(b) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall 
provide for the participation of the general public in the 
development of the comprehensive management plan. 
SEC. 8. ADVISORY COUNCIL. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
an advisory council pursuant to section 315 of the Marine 
Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (16 
U.S.C. 1445a) to advise the Secretary with respect to the 
designation and management of the Sanctuary. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary shall include a 
representative from the Alabama Department of Con-
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servation and Natural Resources as a voting member of 
the advisory council. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 8, 2024. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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