[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 93 (Tuesday, May 14, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34435-34436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12004]


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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: National Marine Sanctuaries Program (NMSP), Office of Ocean and 
Coastal Resources Management (OCRM), National Ocean Service (NOS), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of 
Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice of Area to be Temporarily Avoided.

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SUMMARY: NOAA requests that users of the Florida Keys National Marine 
Sanctuary (FKNMS) avoid, from May 15, 2002 through June 28, 2002, an 
area of approximately 0.58 acres marked by construction buoys in the 
vicinity of 25 deg.0.67' N, 80 deg.22.37' W, which is at ``Molasses 
Reef,'' and is located 6 nautical miles (11.1 km) off the southeastern 
portion of Key Largo, Florida. During this time, NOAA and authorized 
contractors will be conducting physical restoration activities of a 
coral reef where the M/V Wellwood grounded in August 1984. 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 
timely and successful completion of the restoration and the protection 
of life and property during these complex activities.

DATES: The public is requested to avoid the area from May 15, 2002 
through June 28, 2002. If less or more time is needed, NOAA will so 
inform the public. Public notice of this request also will be provided 
through local news media, a Notice to Mariners, and posting of placards 
or bulletin boards in public areas in Key Largo.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harriet Sopher, Program Manager, 
Resource Protection Team, National Marine Sanctuaries Program, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1305 East West Highway, SSMC4, 
11th Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910. Telephone number: 301-713-
3125, ext. 109.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 4, 1984, the M/V Wellwood, a 122-meter Cypriot-registered 
freighter, ran aground on the upper forereef of Molasses Reef within 
the FKNMS. The grounding site is a bank reef located 6 nautical miles 
(11.1 km) off the southeast portion of Key Largo, Florida (entered at 
approximately 25 deg.0.67' N, 80 deg.22.37' W). The impact of the 
grounding and the shifting of the vessel created large scars on the 
Molasses Reef forereef. 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 autumn 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 M/V Wellwood grounding, NOAA and its authorized 
contractor will be placing reef modules and tremie concrete to rebuild 
the physical structure of the damaged coral reef. This activity will 
occur from April 15, 2002 through June 28, 2002.
    Because divers, moorings, heavy construction materials and 
equipment (e.g., barges and cranes) and increased localized boat 
traffic will be present during the restoration activity, NOAA requests 
the public to avoid an area of approximately 0.58 acres where the 
restoration activity will occur. Five to seven, recreational mooring 
buoys will be removed from the work area and the nearby vicinity. The 
work area will be marked by construction buoys. The buoys will be set 
about 30 feet beyond the barge tie down locations, and create an area 
approximately 200 feet by 150 feet, with the longer axis oriented in a 
NE-SW direction, around the grounding site (25 deg.0.67' N, 
80 deg.22.37' W).
    The intent is to provide an area for the conduct of these important 
restoration activities; 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 barges; protect the 
surface air supply hoses of the divers and SCUBA crew who will be 
conducting the restoration activities; and ensure timely and successful 
completion of the restoration. The area that the public is requested to 
avoid is the minimum area necessary to moor the barges and includes 
buffer zones to moor support vessels and provide an extra margin for 
public safety during 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 spring of 2002, 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 6 nautical miles offshore the southeast portion of Key 
Largo, Florida (centered near 25 deg.0.67' N, 80 deg.22.37' W). The 
total area is approximately 0.58 acres. The boundary of this area will 
be marked by construction buoys.

[[Page 34436]]

    The area is bounded by the following coordinates:

Latitude and Longitude

A: 25 deg.00'37.96364" N  80 deg.22'14.60425" W
B: 25 deg.00'31.20173" N  80 deg.22'22.54159" W
C: 25 deg.00'45.20646" N  80 deg.22'22.54159" W
D: 25 deg.00'38.44445" N  80 deg.22'29.96212" W


    Dated: May 8, 2002.
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 02-12004 Filed 5-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NK-M