[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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