15 C.F.R. § 922.152 Prohibited or otherwise regulated activities.
Title 15 - Commerce and Foreign Trade
(a) Except as specified in paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section, the following activities are prohibited and thus are unlawful for any person to conduct or to cause to be conducted: (1) Exploring for, developing or producing oil, gas or minerals within the Sanctuary. (2)(i) Discharging or depositing, from within the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter except: (A) Fish, fish parts, chumming materials or bait used in or resulting from traditional fishing operations in the Sanctuary; (B) Biodegradable effluent incidental to vessel use and generated by marine sanitation devices approved in accordance with section 312 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, (FWPCA), 33 U.S.C. 1322 et seq.; (C) Water generated by routine vessel operations (e.g., cooling water, deck wash down and graywater as defined by section 312 of the FWPCA) excluding oily wastes from bilge pumping; (D) Engine exhaust; or (E) Dredge spoil in connection with beach nourishment projects related to harbor maintenance activities. (ii) Discharging or depositing, from beyond the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter, except those listed in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) (A) through (E) of this section, that subsequently enters the Sanctuary and injures a Sanctuary resource or quality. (3) Moving, removing or injuring, or attempting to move, remove or injure, a Sanctuary historical resource. This prohibition does not apply to moving, removing or injury resulting incidentally from traditional fishing operations. (4) Drilling into, dredging or otherwise altering the seabed of the Sanctuary; or constructing, placing or abandoning any structure, material or other matter on the seabed of the Sanctuary, except as an incidental result of: (i) Anchoring vessels; (ii) Traditional fishing operations; (iii) Installation of navigation aids; (iv) Harbor maintenance in the areas necessarily associated with Federal Projects in existence on July 22, 1994, including dredging of entrance channels and repair, replacement or rehabilitation of breakwaters and jetties; (v) Construction, repair, replacement or rehabilitation of boat launches, docks or piers, and associated breakwaters and jetties; or (vi) Beach nourishment projects related to harbor maintenance activities. (5) Taking any marine mammal, sea turtle or seabird in or above the Sanctuary, except as authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended, (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., the Endangered Species Act, as amended, (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended, (MBTA), 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq., or pursuant to any Indian treaty with an Indian tribe to which the United States is a party, provided that the Indian treaty right is exercised in accordance with the MMPA, ESA and MBTA, to the extent that they apply. (6) Flying motorized aircraft at less than 2,000 feet both above the Sanctuary within one NM of the Flattery Rocks, Quillayute Needles, or Copalis National Wildlife Refuge, or within one NM seaward from the coastal boundary of the Sanctuary, except for activities related to tribal timber operations conducted on reservation lands, or to transport persons or supplies to or from reservation lands as authorized by a governing body of an Indian tribe. (7) Possessing within the Sanctuary (regardless of where taken, moved or removed from) any historical resource, or any marine mammal, sea turtle, or seabird taken in violation of the MMPA, ESA or MBTA, to the extent that they apply. (8) Interfering with, obstructing, delaying or preventing an investigation, search, seizure or disposition of seized property in connection with enforcement of the Act or any regulation or permit issued under the Act. (b) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) (2) through (4), (6) and (7) of this section do not apply to activities necessary to respond to emergencies threatening life, property or the environment. (c) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a) (2) through (4), (6) and (7) of this section do not apply to activities necessary for valid law enforcement purposes. (d)(1) All Department of Defense military activities shall be carried out in a manner that avoids to the maximum extent practicable any adverse impacts on Sanctuary resources and qualities. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the prohibitions in paragraphs (a) (2) through (7) of this section do not apply to the following military activities performed by the Department of Defense in W–237A, W–237B, and Military Operating Areas Olympic A and B in the Sanctuary: (A) Hull integrity tests and other deep water tests; (B) Live firing of guns, missiles, torpedoes, and chaff; (C) Activities associated with the Quinault Range including the in-water testing of non-explosive torpedoes; and (D) Anti-submarine warfare operations. (ii) New activities may be exempted from the prohibitions in paragraphs (a) (2) through (7) of this section by the Director after consultation between the Director and the Department of Defense. If it is determined that an activity may be carried out, such activity shall be carried out in a manner that avoids to the maximum extent practicable any adverse impact on Sanctuary resources and qualities. Civil engineering and other civil works projects conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are excluded from the scope of this paragraph (d). (2) The Department of Defense is prohibited from conducting bombing activities within the Sanctuary. (3) In the event of threatened or actual destruction of, loss of, or injury to a Sanctuary resource or quality resulting from an untoward incident, including but not limited to spills and groundings caused by the Department of Defense, the Department of Defense shall promptly coordinate with the Director for the purpose of taking appropriate actions to respond to and mitigate the harm and, if possible, restore or replace the Sanctuary resource or quality. (e) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a) (2) through (7) of this section do not apply to any activity executed in accordance with the scope, purpose, terms and conditions of a National Marine Sanctuary permit issued pursuant to §922.48 and §922.153 or a Special Use permit issued pursuant to section 310 of the Act. (f) Members of a federally recognized Indian tribe may exercise aboriginal and treaty-secured rights, subject to the requirements of other applicable law, without regard to the requirements of this part. The Director may consult with the governing body of a tribe regarding ways the tribe may exercise such rights consistent with the purposes of the Sanctuary. (g) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a) (2) through (7) of this section do not apply to any activity authorized by any lease, permit, license, or other authorization issued after July 22, 1994 and issued by any Federal, State or local authority of competent jurisdiction, provided that the applicant complies with §922.49, the Director notifies the applicant and authorizing agency that he or she does not object to issuance of the authorization, and the applicant complies with any terms and conditions the Director deems necessary to protect Sanctuary resources and qualities. Amendments, renewals and extensions of authorizations in existence on the effective date of designation constitute authorizations issued after the effective date. (h) Notwithstanding paragraphs (e) and (g) of this section, in no event may the Director issue a National Marine Sanctuary permit under §§922.48 and 922.153 or a Special Use permit under section 310 of the Act authorizing, or otherwise approve: The exploration for, development or production of oil, gas or minerals within the Sanctuary; the discharge of primary-treated sewage within the Sanctuary (except by certification, pursuant to §922.47, of valid authorizations in existence on July 22, 1994 and issued by other authorities of competent jurisdiction); the disposal of dredged material within the Sanctuary other than in connection with beach nourishment projects related to harbor maintenance activities; or bombing activities within the Sanctuary. Any purported authorizations issued by other authorities after July 22, 1994 for any of these activities within the Sanctuary shall be invalid.
Title 15: Commerce and Foreign Trade
PART 922—NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY PROGRAM REGULATIONS
Subpart O—Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
§ 922.152 Prohibited or otherwise regulated activities.
