# Notice of Area the Public Is Requested To Temporarily Avoid During Coral Reef Restoration Activities in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A99-16583 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Notice - **Published:** June 30, 1999 - **Citation:** 64 FR 35127 ## Text 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A99-16583. Public record. Not legal advice.