[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3886 Reported in House (RH)]

                                                 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





                                                 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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FLOWER GARDEN BANKS BOUNDARY MODIFICATION.

    (a) Modification.--Notwithstanding section 304 of the National 
Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1434), the boundaries of the Flower 
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, as designated by Public Law 
102-251, are amended to include the area described in subsection (d), 
popularly known as Stetson Bank. This area shall be part of the Flower 
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and shall be managed and 
regulated as though it had been designated by the Secretary of Commerce 
under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
    (b) Depiction of Sanctuary Boundaries.--The Secretary of Commerce 
shall--
            (1) prepare a chart depicting the boundaries of the Flower 
        Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, as modified by this 
        section; and
            (2) submit copies of this chart to the Committee on 
        Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives 
        and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
        the Senate.
    (c) Application of Regulations.--Regulations issued by the 
Secretary of Commerce to implement the designation of the Flower Garden 
Banks National Marine Sanctuary shall apply to the area described in 
subsection (d), unless modified by the Secretary. This subsection shall 
take effect 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Area Described.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        area referred to in subsections (a), (b), and (c) is the area 
        that is--
                    (A) generally depicted on the Department of the 
                Interior, Minerals Management Service map titled 
                ``Western Gulf of Mexico, Lease Sale 143, September 
                1993, Biologically Sensitive Areas, Map 3 of 3, 
                Final'';
                    (B) labeled ``Stetson'' on the High Island Area 
                South Addition diagram on that map; and
                    (C) within the 52 meter isobath.
            (2) Minor boundary adjustments.--The Secretary of Commerce 
        may make minor adjustments to the boundaries of the area 
        described in paragraph (1) as necessary to protect living coral 
        resources or to simplify administration of the Flower Garden 
        Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
    (e) Publication of Notice.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce shall, as soon 
        as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
        publish in the Federal Register a notice describing--
                    (A) the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks 
                National Marine Sanctuary, as modified by this section, 
                and
                    (B) any modification of regulations applicable to 
                that Sanctuary that are necessary to implement that 
                modification of the boundaries of the Sanctuary.
            (2) Treatment as notice required under national marine 
        sanctuaries act.--A notice published under paragraph (1) shall 
        be considered to be the notice required to be published under 
        section 304(b)(1) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1434).