    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    PROCLAMATION 9077--JAN. 15, 2014

    Proclamation 9077 of January 15, 2014

    Reserving Certain Submerged Lands in the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands

    By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    The submerged lands surrounding the islands of Farallon de Pajaros
    (Uracas), Maug, and Asuncion in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands are among the most biologically diverse in the Western Pacific,
    with relatively pristine coral reef ecosystems that have been proclaimed
    objects of scientific interest and reserved for their protection as the
    Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument (marine
    national monument) by Proclamation 8335 of January 6, 2009. Certain
    submerged lands adjacent to the land leased by the United States of
    America on the islands of Tinian and Farallon de Medinilla under the
    Lease Agreement Made Pursuant to the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the
    United States of America, dated January 6, 1983, as amended (Lease) are
    essential for ensuring that United States forces forward deployed to the
    Western Pacific are adequately trained and ready to respond immediately
    and effectively to orders from the National Command Authority, and for
    ensuring the safety of citizens of the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands.
    Certain of these submerged lands will be conveyed by the United States
    to the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on
    January 16, 2014, pursuant to section 1(a) of Public Law 93-435, as
    amended by section 1 of Public Law 113-34 (the ``Act''), unless the
    President designates otherwise pursuant to section 1(b)(vii) of the Act.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of authority vested in me by section 1(b)(vii) of the
    Act, do hereby proclaim that the lands hereinafter described are
    excepted from transfer to the Government of the Commonwealth of the
    Northern Mariana Islands under section 1(a) of the Act:

    the submerged lands adjacent to the islands of Farallon de Pajaros
    (Uracas), Maug, and Asuncion permanently covered by tidal waters up to
    the mean low water line and extending three geographical miles seaward
    from the mean high tide line; and
    the submerged lands adjacent to the islands of Tinian and Farallon de
    Medinilla permanently or periodically covered by tidal waters up to the
    line of mean high tide and extending seaward to a line three
    geographical miles distant from those areas of the coastline that are
    adjacent to the leased lands described in the Lease.

    Nothing in this proclamation is intended to affect the authority of the
    Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) under section 1(b) of the Act to
    subsequently convey the submerged lands adjacent to the islands of
    Farallon de Pajaros (Uracas), Maug, and Asuncion when the Secretary, the
    Secretary of Commerce, and the Government of the Commonwealth of the
    Northern Mariana Islands have entered into an agreement for coordination
    of management that ensures the protection of the marine national
    monument within the excepted area described above. Further

    [[Page 4105]]

    more, nothing in this proclamation is intended to affect the authority
    of the Secretary under section 1(b) of the Act to subsequently convey
    the submerged lands adjacent to the land leased by the United States on
    the islands of Tinian or Farallon de Medinilla when the Secretary of the
    Navy and the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands have entered into an agreement that ensures protection of
    military training within the excepted area.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of
    January, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
    eighth.
    BARACK OBAMA