05/01/2012
Wreck Diving Adventures LLC will be attending the Monitor National Maritime Sanctuary public comment meeting at The Mariners' Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606, beginning at 2:00 PM, this Friday, May 4, 2012.
We will be bringing two video cameras with sound recording equipment to capture some of the "flavor" of what will occur. A record of the meeting will then be posted to our video and Facebook channels for all to see.
I will be reading a statement into the record, along with submitting a written statement to the agency, requesting that NOAA modify their draft plan to include agency affirmation supporting free public access to all underwater shipwrecks in any Virginia or North Carolina sanctuary managed waters funded by taxpayer dollars, now or in the future. Such a statement is missing from the draft sanctuary plan, potentially jeopardizing sport diver access to many of the shipwrecks that we now routinely enjoy. Although limiting access by sport divers may not be NOAA's intent, the lack of any agency statement affirming such access is clearly troubling and requires clarification.
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the Federal public comment process, NOAA is required by law to allow public comment concerning their draft plan. Oral comments recorded at hearings can be summarized by the agency, but written comments must be included in the public record concerning any proposed "rule making." This stuff is published in the Federal Register and becomes part of what must be "considered" by the agency prior to final rule making. A "final rule" is then published by the agency addressing the issue.
For all reading this post with any interest in preserving free and continued public access to shipwrecks found in Virginia and North Carolina waters for purposes of sport diving, I highly encourage you to submit written comments to NOAA prior to June 22, 2012, using the instructions linked below:
In accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA), as amended, NOAA is soliciting public comment on the draft management plan and draft environmental assessment for Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.
