[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 32 (Monday, March 21, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: March 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
AMENDING BOUNDARIES OF THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARY
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3886) to amend the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks
National Marine Sanctuary, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3886
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 Areas 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 the living
coral resources of Stetson Bank 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 Secretary.
(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).
SEC. 2. TRANSFER.
Of amounts appropriated by Public Law 103-139 to the
Department of the Navy for Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy,
the Secretary of the Navy shall transfer $8,000,000 not later
than April 15, 1994, to the Administrator of the Maritime
Administration for the Conversion of the USNS CHAUVENET to a
training ship for the Texas Maritime Academy's Training
Program.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Fields] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds].
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. STUDDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3886 amends the boundaries of the
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary to include a small area
known as Stetson Bank.
The gentleman from Texas [Mr. Ortiz] who admirably serves as the
chairman of our Oceanography Subcommittee, was the sponsor of the
original legislation that established Flower Garden Banks as a national
marine sanctuary. He introduced H.R. 3886 to provide the same
protection for Stetson Bank by making it a part of the sanctuary. He is
to be commended for both actions.
This sanctuary was established in 1992 to protect the northernmost
coral reef on the U.S. continental shelf. A nearby area, Stetson Bank,
is a three-quarter square mile shoal know for a spectacular array of
marine life. However, damage to that marine life from anchoring, shell
collecting, and spearfishing led to calls from scientists and the sport
diving community to protect the area.
This bill provides that protection. This is a wise, cost-effective
effort to protect vital marine resources in the Gulf of Mexico and I
urge the House to adopt this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. FIELDS of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
bill introduced by my friend and colleague, chairman Solomon Ortiz.
The bill expands the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National
Marine Sanctuary, located approximately 110 miles offshore Galveston,
TX, to include Stetson Bank. The Stetson Bank area is part of the
northernmost coral reef in the continental shelf of North America. It
is blanketed with hard corals, sponges, 253 known invertebrate species,
and its is home for scores of tropical fish, giant sea turtles,
hammerhead sharks, and manta rays.
This abundant sea life is an important underwater ecosystem but,
regrettably, in recent years certain irresponsible individuals have
inflicted great harm on these marine resources. Although mooring buoys
are installed in the bank, corals and sponges are being crushed by
anchors from large vessels using nearby shipping channels. Spearfishing
is decimating the fish populations and coral is being removed by
divers.
In recognition of this growing problem, forward-thinking Gulf of
Mexico diving groups, as well as the manager of the Flower Garden Banks
Sanctuary, believe that folding this .75-acre site into the existing
sanctuary would effectively protect these resources for future
generations. Stetson Bank has been designed by the Minerals Management
Service as a no activity zone, and the area is not used by commercial
fishermen. I know of no opposition to this measure, and Chairman Ortiz
should be commended for his ongoing and outstanding leadership in
seeking to protect the Stetson Bank.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure and hope that we will be
able to have it enacted before the diving season begins this summer to
afford Stetson Bank the full protection of the law.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend
my remarks.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3886 amends the boundaries of the Flower Garden
Banks Marine Sanctuary to include a nearby bank known as Stetson Bank.
The Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary was established by Congress in 1992
and has been a model for the entire National Marine Sanctuary Program.
The Sanctuary Program has demonstrated our ability to preserve and
protect valuable marine resources, such as the coral reefs of the
Flower Garden Banks, while sustaining the important multiple uses of
the surrounding marine environment.
H.R. 3886 will add to the existing sanctuary a small coral bank of
less than 1 square mile known as Stetson Bank. This bank is renown for
its spectacular array of fish and invertebrates and is a common
destination for scuba divers.
However, its value has caused it to come under increasing pressure
from anchor damage, spearfishing, and shell collectors. In response,
local scientists and sport diving groups have led an effort to put the
bank under protection.
Including Stetson Bank within the sanctuary boundary will place the
bank under the existing sanctuary management plan. This will provide
the same protections for Stetson Bank as are in place for the existing
Flower Gardens Bank Sanctuary.
These protections will ensure that the valuable resources of Stetson
Bank are preserved and that the bank will continue to be a popular site
for the recreational dive industry.
Mr. Speaker, I especially want to thank Chairman Studds and the
ranking member, Mr. Fields, and their respective staffs for all the
help they have provided on this matter.
I believe this is a small but significant piece of legislation, and I
urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3886, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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