[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47773-47774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18446]


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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

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 June 28, 2002 through August 15, 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 ``Molkasses 
Reef'' and is located 6 nautical miles (11.1 km) off the southeastern 
portion of Key Largo, Florida. Avoidance was previously requested for 
the same region from May 15, 2002 through June 28, 2002. Due to unusual 
weather conditions, the work was not able to be completed. During the 
time of avoidance, 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), 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 June 28, 2002 
through August 15, 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 (centered 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

[[Page 47774]]

or injured. Funds recovered under 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 August 15, 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 of 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 the 
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.
    The area is bounded by the following coordinates:

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                 Latitude                             Longitude
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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' 22.02476''W
D: 25 deg.00' 38.44445''N.................  80 deg.22' 29.96212''W
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    Dated: July 16, 2002.
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 02-18446 Filed 7-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NK-M