Sanctuary Nomination Process For Consideration of New National Marine Sanctuaries
by Carol Georgi and Karl Kempton,
Former Energy Planner for San Luis Obispo County,
Lead Author of
Introduction
After two decades, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) invites coastal and Great Lakes communities to nominate their most treasured places for consideration as national marine sanctuaries. (Nominate)
Residents of the California Central Coast have waited twenty years to be able to once again nominate their treasured nearshore coastal and offshore waters. Many individuals and groups have been hard at work over the last few years to reach this point to nominate a national marine sanctuary newly named, The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.
These waters sit between the Channel Island National Marine Sanctuary and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. For location description information, see the Marine Sanctuaries article of August 2014.
San Luis Obispo County’s General Plan requires the Board of Supervisors (BOS) to seek marine sanctuary protection. Historically, in 1990, the BOS vote was unanimous supporting the nomination document titled PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE MORRO BAY SITE DESIGNATION CANDIDACY TO INCLUDE OUTER WATERS BETWEEN MILL CREEK, MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, AND THE SOUTHERN FLANK OF POINT SAL, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. For more information, see SLO Coast Journal July 2014 Marine Sanctuary article.
Actor and activist Edward James Olmos lends his voice to the new sanctuary nomination process and offers a challenge to the American people.
NOAA’s Six Steps for Consideration as New National Marine Sanctuary
NOAA’s Sanctuary Nomination Process website describes the steps for an ocean or Great Lakes area to be nominated to be considered a new national marine sanctuary.
Step 1 – Community Builds a Nomination
NOAA states: "A group of people who care passionately about protecting an area of our nation’s marine or Great Lakes waters comes together to develop a nomination. This consists of gathering key information about the special place they wish to nominate and developing broad community support for the nomination."
Step 2 – Community Submits Nomination to NOAA
NOAA states: "Once the necessary information has been gathered, the community submits its nomination to NOAA via email to or by mail to: director, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, 1305 East West Highway, N/NMS, 11th Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910."
Step 3 – NOAA’s Initial Review
NOAA states: "We will look at whether or not the nomination contains enough of the information we need. If the proposal does not meet the basic requirements, NOAA may decline it or send it back to the community for additional information."
Step 4 – NOAA takes a closer look
NOAA states: "A nomination that meets the minimum requirements will move on to the next round of review, where NOAA will take a closer look at all the different factors that make the nominated place a potential candidate for sanctuary designation. Throughout this process, NOAA will work with the community to answer any questions that arise, and NOAA may bring in external reviewers as needed." Then NOAA will either accept the nomination, request additional information, or decline the nomination.
Step 5 – Nomination is Accepted
NOAA states: "When a nomination successfully passes the review phase, NOAA will notify the community that all the requirements have been met and the nomination has been accepted."
Step 6 – Nominated Area Added to Inventory
NOAA states: "NOAA will place successful nominations in an inventory of areas it could consider for potential designation as a national marine sanctuary."
Future Sanctuary Designation
NOAA states: "NOAA may consider an area added to the inventory for future designation as a national marine sanctuary. Sanctuary designation is a separate public process that by law, is highly public and participatory, and often takes several years to complete."
Sanctuary Nomination Process Guide for Writing the Proposal
See NOAA’s website for details
NOAA states: "The strongest nominations will provide a clear connection and focus on the criteria and considerations that are relevant to the goals and intent for the nominated area and provide as much information as possible for those criteria." Nominations should provide information addressing all seven management considerations, with special emphasis on consideration #7, describing community- based support."
Nomination Preparation Checklist
Section I – Basics
Nomination Title
Nominator Name(s)
Nomination Point of Contact
Section II – Introduction
Narrative Description
Goals Description
Location Description
Section III – Criteria Information
Criteria 1
NOAA states: "The area’s natural resources and ecological qualities are of special significance and contribute to: biological productivity or diversity; maintenance or enhancement of ecosystem structure and function; maintenance of ecologically or commercially important species or species assemblages; maintenance or enhancement of connectivity to other ecologically significant resources."
Criteria 2
NOAA states: "The area contains submerged maritime heritage resources of special historical, cultural, or archaeological significance, that: individually or collectively are consistent with the criteria of eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places; have met or which would meet the criteria for designation as a National Historic Landmark; or have special or sacred meaning to the indigenous people of the region or nation."
Criteria 3
NOAA states: "The area supports present and potential economic uses, such as: tourism; commercial and recreational fishing; subsistence and traditional uses; diving; and other recreational uses that depend on conservation and management of the area’s resources."
Criteria 4
NOAA states: "The publically-derived benefits of the area, such as aesthetic value, public recreation, and access to places depend on conservation and management of the area’s resources."
Section IV – NOAA’s Consideration Information
Consideration 1
"The area provides or enhances opportunities for research in marine science, including marine archaeology."
Consideration 2
"The area provide or enhances opportunities for education, including the understanding and appreciation of the marine and Great Lakes environments."
Consideration 3
"Adverse impacts from current or future uses and activities threaten the area’s significance, values, qualities, and resources."
Consideration 4
"A national marine sanctuary would provide unique conservation and management value for this area or adjacent areas."
Consideration 5
"The existing regulatory and management authorities for the area could be supplemented or complemented to meet the conservation and management goals for the area."
Consideration 6
"There are commitments or possible commitments for partnerships opportunities such as cost sharing, office space, exhibit space, vessel time, or other collaborations to aid conservation or management programs for the area."
Consideration 7
"There is community-based support for the nomination expressed by a broad range of interests, such as: individuals or locally-based stakeholder groups, at the local, regional or national level (e.g., a local chapter of an environmental organization, a regionally-based fishing group, a national-level recreation or tourism organization, academia or science-based group, or an industry association)."
Questions and Contacts
For general questions regarding the sanctuary nomination process, please see NOAA’s Sanctuary Nomination Process website. Download the guide
Conclusion
NOAA’s invitation to coastal and Great Lakes communities to submit a sanctuary proposal is encouraging to many individuals and grassroots organizations. For updated information on the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, go to this website.
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