[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35127-35128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16583]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Area the Public Is Requested To Temporarily Avoid 
During Coral Reef Restoration Activities in the Florida Keys National 
Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS)

AGENCY: Marine Sanctuaries Division (MSD), Office of Ocean and Coastal 
Resource Management (OCRM), National Ocean Service (NOS), National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce 
(DOC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NOAA requests that users of the FKNMS avoid, from July 6 
through September 7, 1999, an area approximately 6.75 acres marked by 
construction buoys in the vicinity of 24 deg.37'30'' N, 81 deg.24'23'' 
W, a bank reef located 7 nautical miles (12.9 km) off the southwest tip 
of Big Pine Key, Florida, During this time, NOAA and authorized 
contractors will be conducting physical restoration activities of a 
coral reef where the R/V Columbus Iselin grounded of August 10 through 
12, 1994. The public is requested to avoid the area during this period 
due to the presence of heavy construction materials and equipment 
(e.g., barges and cranes), moorings, surface air supply hoses of divers 
and increased localized boat traffic. The intent of this notice is to 
ensure the protection of life and property during these complex 
activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harriet Sopher, Program Manager, 
Resource Protection Team, Marine Sanctuaries Division, National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, 1305 East West Highway, SSMC4, 12th 
Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910. Telephone number: 301-713-3145 
ext. 109.

Background

    On August 10 through 12, 1994, the R/V Columbus Iselin, a 155-foot 
oceanographic research vessel, ran aground on the western portion of 
Looe Key reef within the FKNMS. The grounding site is a bank reef 
located 7 nautical miles (12.9 km) off the soutwest tip of Big Pine 
Key, Florida (24 deg.37' N, 81 deg.24' W). The impact of the grounding 
and the shifting of the vessel created large scars on four of the Looe 
Key coral spurs. Significant injuries were inflicted to the coral reef 
colonies, substrate, and other resident marine organisms such as 
sponges and sea fans. The unconsolidated coral rubble and ship debris 
have been removed. Storm events, including Hurricane Georges in the 
Fall of 1998 have caused additional damage to the grounding site.
    Section 312 of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA 16 U.S.C. 
1443) authorizes NOAA to pursue claims for response costs and damages 
when sanctuary resources are destroyed, lost or injured. Funds 
recovered under section 312 are used to restore, replace or acquire 
equivalent sanctuary resources. As part of the restoration process at 
the site of the R/V Columbus Iselin grounding, NOAA and its authorized 
contractor will be placing three to five ton boulders and tremie 
concrete to rebuild the physical infrastructure of the damaged coral 
reef spurs. This activity will occur from July 6 through September 7, 
1999.
    Because divers, moorings, heavy construction materials and 
equipment (e.g., barges and crane) and increased localized boat traffic 
will be present during the restoration activity, NOAA requests the 
public to avoid an area of approximately 6.75 acres where the 
restoration activity will occur. The area will be marked by buoys. The 
buoys will be set about 30' beyond the barge tie down locations, and 
create an area 600' oriented (approximately) E-W by 490' oriented 
(approximately) N-S, around the grounding site (24 deg.37' N, 
81 deg.24' W). The intent is to protect the life and property of 
construction crews and Sanctuary users while heavy construction 
materials and equipment (e.g., barges and cranes) are in the area; 
protect moorings which will be used at the site to stabilize the barge; 
protect the surface air supply hoses of the divers and SCUBA crew who 
will be conducting the restoration activities; and to ensure timely and 
successful completion of the restoration.
    The area for which the public is requested to avoid is the minimum 
area

[[Page 35128]]

necessary to moor the barges and includes buffer zones to moor support 
vessels and provide an extra margin for public safety while completing 
the restoration activities. The time period for which the public is 
requested to avoid the restoration site is the expected time necessary 
to complete the construction activities. If less or more time is 
needed, NOAA will so notify the public.
    During the planning process for this project (Winter of 1999), one-
on-one contact was made with local dive operators, a public meeting was 
held to explain the restoration project and make the public aware of 
the area it would be requested to temporarily avoid. Additionally, NOAA 
issued press releases to the local newspapers and radio stations which 
have covered the restoration planning process and which have provided 
notice of NOAA's request for the public to avoid the restoration area.

Locations and Boundaries of the Area the Public is Requested To 
Avoid

    The area which the public is requested to avoid is located 
approximately 7 nautical miles (12.9 kilometers) offshore the southwest 
tip of Big Pine Key, Florida (24 deg. 37'N, 81 deg. 24'W). The total 
area is approximately 6.75 acres. The boundary of this area will be 
marked by construction buoys.
    The area is bounded by the following coordinates:


Latitude                             Longitude
 
A: 24 deg.32'40.3'' N                81 deg.24'30.6'' W.
B: 24 deg.32'42.3'' N                81 deg.24'24.5'' W.
C: 24 deg.32'46.9'' N                81 deg.24'26.3'' W.
D: 24 deg.32'44.8'' N                81 deg.24'32.4'' W.
 

Dates

    The public is requested to avoid the area from July 6 through 
September 7, 1999, or until the construction marker buoys are removed 
at NOAA's direction if the work is completed prior or later. Public 
notice of this request also will be provided through local news media, 
a Notice to Mariners, and posting of placards on bulletin boards in 
public areas in Big Pine Key and at Bahia Honda State Park.

    Dated: June 24, 1999.
Ted I. Lillestolen,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 99-16583 Filed 6-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-M