II 
Calendar No. 169 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 905 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar 
AN ACT 
To expand the boundaries of the Thunder Bay National 
Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, 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 ‘‘Thunder Bay National 
Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary 
Modification Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary 
and Underwater Preserve in Lake Huron contains 
more than 100 recorded historic vessel losses. 
(2) The areas immediately surrounding the 
Sanctuary, including the offshore waters of Presque 
Isle and Alcona Counties, Michigan, contain an 
equal number of historic vessel losses. 
(3) Many of these shipwrecks and underwater 
cultural resources are popular recreational diving 
destinations, and all contribute to our collective mar-
itime heritage. 
(4) These resources are susceptible to damage 
from human activities, and must be properly pre-
served for themselves and to protect the economic vi-
ability of their contribution to national and regional 
economies. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to expand the Thunder Bay National Ma-
rine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve boundaries 
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to encompass the offshore waters of Presque Isle 
and Alcona Counties, Michigan and outward to the 
international border between the United States and 
Canada; and 
(2) to provide the underwater cultural resources 
of those areas equal protection to that currently af-
forded to the Sanctuary. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
SANCTUARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Sanctuary’’ 
means the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary 
and Underwater Preserve. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
SEC. 4. SANCTUARY BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT. 
(a) BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.—Notwithstanding any 
provision of law or regulation, including section 922.190 
of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sanctuary shall 
consist of the geographic area described in subsection (b). 
(b) EXPANDED BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.—The area 
referred to in subsection (a) is all submerged lands, in-
cluding the underwater cultural resources, lakeward of the 
mean high waterline, within the boundaries of a line 
formed by connecting points in succession beginning at a 
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point along the mean high water line located approxi-
mately at 45.6262N, 84.2043W at the intersection of the 
northern Presque Isle and northeastern Cheboygan Coun-
ty boundary, then north to a point approximately 
45.7523N, 84.2011W, then northeast to a point approxi-
mately 45.7777N, 84.1231W, then due east to the inter-
national boundary between the United States and Canada 
approximately located at 45.7719N, 83.4840W then fol-
lowing the international boundary between the United 
States and Canada in a generally southeasterly direction 
to a point approximately 44.5128N, 82.3295W, then due 
west to a point along the mean high water line located 
approximately at 44.5116N, 83.3186W at the intersection 
of the southern Alcona County and northern Iosco County 
boundary, returning to the first point along the mean high 
water line. 
(c) AUTHORITY TO MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS.— 
The Secretary may make minor adjustments to the bound-
ary described in subsection (b) to facilitate enforcement 
and clarify the boundary to the public provided the result-
ing boundary is consistent with the purposes described in 
section 2(b). 
(d) INCLUSION IN THE SYSTEM.—The area described 
in subsection (b), as modified in accordance with sub-
section (c), shall be managed as part of the National Ma-
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