Notice of Area To Be Temporarily Avoided by the Public During Coral Rubble and Ship Debris Removal Activities in the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, Now Part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Notice of Area To Be Temporarily Avoided by the Public During

Coral Rubble and Ship Debris Removal Activities in the Looe Key

National Marine Sanctuary, Now Part of the Florida Keys National Marine

Sanctuary

AGENCY: Sanctuaries and Reserves Division (SRD), Office of Ocean and

Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), National Ocean Service (NOS),

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of

Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), and authorized contractors will

be conducting coral rubble and ship debris removal activities to

prevent and minimize the destruction, or loss of, or injury to

Sanctuary resources. The coral rubble and ship debris were generated as

a result of the August 10 to 12, 1994, R/V Columbus Iselin grounding

incident within the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary (Looe Key NMS),

now part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (Florida Keys

NMS).

To ensure the protection of life and property during these complex

activities the public is advised to avoid the area due to the presence

of heavy equipment (i.e., barge and crane) and increased localized boat

traffic. NOAA requests that Sanctuary users temporarily avoid an area

approximately 900 square feet marked by visible construction buoys from

on or about August 23 and August 31, 1995. The area is 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Any comments on the establishment of the area to be temporarily avoided

may be sent at any time during or after the effective dates specified

below, to Dr. Charles M. Wahle, Chief, Technical Projects Branch,

Sanctuaries and Reserves Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, 1305 East West Highway, SSMC4, 12th Floor, Silver

Spring, Maryland, 20910. Telephone number: 301-713-3145 ext. 156.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the National Marine

Sanctuaries Act (NMSA), Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and

Protection Act (FKNMSPA), and the Looe Key NMS regulations at 15 CFR

Part 937, NOAA will be conducting restoration activities within a

specified area within the Looe Key NMS on or about August 23 to August

31, 1995.

Background

On August 10 to 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 Looe Key NMS, now part of the FKNMS. The

grounding site is a bank reef located 7 nautical miles (12.9 km) off

the southwest 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 over the

two day period created larger 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. Considerable amounts of unconsolidated coral rubble were

generated by the impact and now rest in the channels (grooves) between

and on top of the coral spurs. In addition to the debris, large

sections of metal instrumentation shielding from the ship's hull (ship

debris) was left behind on the seabed. The rubble and ship debris

continue to threaten living resources in the vicinity of the grounding

site, and pose safety risks to Sanctuary users.

Section 312(b)(1) of the NMSA authorizes NOAA to undertake all

necessary actions to prevent or minimize the destruction or loss of, or

injury to, Sanctuary resources. NOAA has determined that coral reef

rubble and ship debris generated by this grounding continues to

threaten living corals in the area and must be extracted safely from

the site this summer. NOAA, COE and authorized contractors will

implement rubble and ship debris removal work at the grounding site

within the Looe Key NMS.

[[Page 44308]]

During the conduct of such activities, NOAA has deemed it necessary

to request the public to temporarily avoid the 900 square foot area

around the grounding site (24 deg.37' N, 81 deg.24' W) for the

following reasons, to: protect the life and property of construction

crew 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; and protect the

surface air supply hoses of the divers and SCUBA crew who will be

conducting the rubble and ship debris removal activities; and to ensure

timely and successful completion of rubble and ship debris removal.

This area to be temporarily avoided will be in effect no longer

than necessary to complete the rubble and ship debris removal

activities. It is the minimum area necessary to moor the barge and

includes buffer zones to moor support vessels and provide an extra

margin for public safety while completing these rubble and ship debris

removal activities.

Locations and Boundaries of Temporary Avoidance Area

The temporary avoidance area 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 to be temporarily

avoided is approximately 900 square feet, and is less than one percent

of the total area of the Looe Key NMS. The boundary of this area will

be marked by visible construction buoys.

The area to be temporarily avoided is bounded by the following

coordinates:

Latitude Longitude

A. 24 deg.32'49.5'' N 81 deg.24'25.6'' W

B. 24 deg.32'49.5'' N 81 deg.24'22.4'' W

C. 24 deg.32'25.3'' N 81 deg.24'22.4'' W

D. 24 deg.32'25.3'' N 81 deg.24'25.6'' W

Dates

The area to be temporarily avoided will be in effect from on or

about August 23 to August 31, 1995, or until the construction marker

buoys are removed at NOAA's direction if the work is completed prior to

August 31, 1995. Public notice of the area to be temporarily avoided

will be provided through the Federal Register, local news media, and

posting of placards on bulletin boards in public areas in Big Pine Key

and at Bahia Honda State Park. Notice of the removal of the area to be

temporarily avoided will be issued by NOAA once the rubble and ship

debris removal activities are completed.

Dated: August 21, 1995.

W. Stanley Wilson,

Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management.

[FR Doc. 95-21144 Filed 8-24-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-08-M