Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Modification and Protection Act

In January 2009, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA-6) introduced the legislation in the House (H.R. 223) and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced it in the Senate (S.212).

GFNMS was originally established in 1981 and covers 1,255 square miles. CBNMS was designated in 1989 and covers 526 square miles. The legislation proposes a collective expansion of the adjourning sanctuaries of approximately 1875 square miles north and west along the Sonoma and Southern Mendocino coasts. Not only would the measures proposed in the bill provide protection to valuably productive areas, but they would also increase protection for areas that are already part of the sanctuary system. To date, H.R. 223 has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Wildlife and Oceans of the Committee on Natural Resources, but there has been no action; there are currently 43 co-sponsors. In the Senate, S. 212 was amended and passed in August 2009 by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and awaits action on the Senate Floor.

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act

In February 2009, Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI-1) and Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) introduced companion legislation in the House (H.R. 905) and the Senate (S.380). TBNMS was designated in 2000 in Lake Huron off the coast of Alpena County, MI. It is the first national marine sanctuary in the Great Lakes, located entirely in state waters, and focusing solely on a large collection of underwater cultural resources—over 100 shipwrecks, spanning over a century of shipping history. The legislation would extend the sanctuary’s boundaries to include the waters off Alcona, Alpena and Presque Isle counties in Michigan and extend the sanctuary east to the international water boundary with Canada. Currently, the sanctuary covers 448 square miles of water and 115 miles of shoreline, protecting 116 shipwrecks. The legislation proposes to increase this area to a total of 4,085 square miles of water and 225 miles of shoreline, which would encompass more than 100 additional shipwrecks than those currently included. This expansion would take great strides in increasing the protections for important maritime heritage that are now susceptible to damage from human activities.

H.R.905 was amended and reported out by the House Committee on Natural Resources in July 2009, and passed by the full House and referred to the Senate in September 2009. S.380 was amended and reported out by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in August 2009 and awaits floor action.