Header:
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS
TITLE 15 -- COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
SUBTITLE B -- REGULATIONS RELATING TO COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
CHAPTER IX -- NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
SUBCHAPTER B -- OCEAN AND
Date:
01/17/2012
Document:
§ 922.82 Prohibited or otherwise regulated activities.
(a) The following activities are prohibited and thus are unlawful for any person to conduct or to cause to be conducted within the Sanctuary:
(1) Exploring for, developing, or producing oil or gas except that pipelines related to hydrocarbon operations adjacent to the Sanctuary may be placed at a distance greater than 2 nmi from the Farallon Islands, Bolinas Lagoon and Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) where certified to have no significant effect on Sanctuary resources in accordance with § 922.84.
(2) Discharging or depositing from within or into the Sanctuary, other than from a cruise ship, any material or other matter except:
(i) Fish, fish parts, or chumming materials (bait) used in or resulting from lawful fishing activity within the Sanctuary, provided that such discharge or deposit is during the conduct of lawful fishing activity within the Sanctuary;
(ii) For a vessel less than 300 gross registered tons (GRT), or a vessel 300 GRT or greater without sufficient holding tank capacity to hold sewage while within the Sanctuary, clean effluent generated incidental to vessel use by an operable Type I or II marine sanitation device (U.S. Coast Guard classification) that is approved in accordance with section 312 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (FWPCA), 33 U.S.C. 1322. Vessel operators must lock all marine sanitation devices in a manner that prevents discharge or deposit of untreated sewage;
(iii) Clean vessel deck wash down, clean vessel engine cooling water, clean vessel generator cooling water, clean bilge water, or anchor wash; or
(iv) Vessel engine or generator exhaust.
(3) Discharging or depositing from within or into the Sanctuary any material or other matter from a cruise ship except clean vessel engine cooling water, clean vessel generator cooling water, vessel engine or generator exhaust, clean bilge water, or anchor wash.
(4) Discharging or depositing, from beyond the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter that subsequently enters the Sanctuary and injures a Sanctuary resource or quality, except for the exclusions listed in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) through (iv) and (a)(3) of this section.
(5) Constructing any structure other than a navigation aid on or in the submerged lands of the Sanctuary; placing or abandoning any structure on or in the submerged lands of the Sanctuary; or drilling into, dredging, or otherwise altering the submerged lands of the Sanctuary in any way, except:
(i) By anchoring vessels (in a manner not otherwise prohibited by this part (see § 922.82(a)(16));
(ii) While conducting lawful fishing activities;
(iii) The laying of pipelines related to hydrocarbon operations in leases adjacent to the Sanctuary in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(iv) Routine maintenance and construction of docks and piers on Tomales Bay; or
(v) Mariculture activities conducted pursuant to a valid lease, permit, license or other authorization issued by the State of California.
(6) Operating any vessel engaged in the trade of carrying cargo within an area extending 2 nmi from the Farallon Islands, Bolinas Lagoon or any ASBS. This includes but is not limited to tankers and other bulk carriers and barges, or any vessel engaged in the trade of servicing offshore installations, except to transport persons or supplies to or from the Islands or mainland areas adjacent to Sanctuary waters or any ASBS. In no event shall this section be construed to limit access for fishing, recreational or research vessels.
(7) Operation of motorized personal watercraft, except for the operation of motorized personal watercraft for emergency search and rescue missions or law enforcement operations (other than routine training activities) carried out by the National Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Fire or Police Departments or other Federal, State or local jurisdictions.
(8) Disturbing marine mammals or seabirds by flying motorized aircraft at less than 1,000 feet over the waters within one nautical mile of the Farallon Islands, Bolinas Lagoon, or any ASBS, except to transport persons or supplies to or from the Islands or for enforcement purposes. Failure to maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level over such waters is presumed to disturb marine mammals or seabirds.
(9) Possessing, moving, removing, or injuring, or attempting to possess, move, remove or injure, a Sanctuary historical resource.
(10) Introducing or otherwise releasing from within or into the Sanctuary an introduced species, except:
(i) Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) released during catch and release fishing activity; or
(ii) Species cultivated by mariculture activities in Tomales Bay pursuant to a valid lease, permit, license or other authorization issued by the State of California and in effect on the effective date of the final regulation.
(11) Taking any marine mammal, sea turtle, or bird within or above the Sanctuary, except as authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended, (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., Endangered Species Act (ESA), as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended, (MBTA), 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq., or any regulation, as amended, promulgated under the MMPA, ESA, or MBTA.
(12) Possessing within the Sanctuary (regardless of where taken, moved or removed from), any marine mammal, sea turtle, or bird taken, except as authorized by the MMPA, ESA, MBTA, by any regulation, as amended, promulgated under the MMPA, ESA, or MBTA, or as necessary for valid law enforcement purposes.
(13) Attracting a white shark in the Sanctuary; or approaching within 50 meters of any white shark within the line approximating 2 nmi around the Farallon Islands. The coordinates for the line approximating 2 nmi around the Farallon Islands are listed in Appendix B to this subpart.
(14) Deserting a vessel aground, at anchor, or adrift in the Sanctuary.
(15) Leaving harmful matter aboard a grounded or deserted vessel in the Sanctuary.
(16) Anchoring a vessel in a designated seagrass protection zone in Tomales Bay, except as necessary for mariculture operations conducted pursuant to a valid lease, permit or license. The coordinates for the no-anchoring seagrass protection zones are listed in Appendix C to this subpart.
(b) All activities currently carried out by the Department of Defense within the Sanctuary are essential for the national defense and, therefore, not subject to the prohibitions in this section. The exemption of additional activities shall be determined in consultation between the Director and the Department of Defense.
(c) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to activities necessary to respond to an emergency threatening life, property, or the environment, or except as may be permitted by the Director in accordance with § 922.48 and § 922.83.
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