National Marine Sanctuary Act - Section 315

National Marine Sanctuaries Act
Title 16, Chapter 32, Sections 1431 et seq. United States Code
As amended by Public Law 106-513, November 2000

SEC. 301. [16 U.S.C. 1431] FINDINGS, PURPOSES, AND POLICIES; ESTABLISHMENT OF SYSTEM .... 1
SEC. 302. [16 U.S.C. 1432] DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................................... 2
SEC. 303. [16 U.S.C. 1433] SANCTUARY DESIGNATION STANDARDS...................................................... 3
SEC. 304. [16 U.S.C. 1434] PROCEDURES FOR DESIGNATION AND IMPLEMENTATION ...................... 4
SEC. 305. [16 U.S.C. 1435] APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS; INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS
AND COOPERATION ........................................................................................................................................... 9
SEC. 306. [16 U.S.C. 1436] PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES .................................................................................... 9
SEC. 307. [16 U.S.C. 1437] ENFORCEMENT.................................................................................................... 10
SEC. 308. [16 U.S.C. 1439] REGULATIONS ..................................................................................................... 13
SEC. 309. [16 U.S.C. 1440] RESEARCH, MONITORING, AND EDUCATION.............................................. 13
SEC. 310. [16 U.S.C. 1441] SPECIAL USE PERMITS....................................................................................... 14
SEC. 311. [16 U.S.C. 1442] COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, DONATIONS, AND ACQUISITIONS......... 15
SEC. 312. [16 U.S.C. 1443] DESTRUCTION OR LOSS OF, OR INJURY TO, SANCTUARY RESOURCES
............................................................................................................................................................................... 15
SEC. 313. [16 U.S.C. 1444] AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS........................................................ 17
SEC. 314. [16 U.S.C. 1445] U.S.S. MONITOR ARTIFACTS AND MATERIALS ........................................... 17
SEC. 315. [16 U.S.C. 1445a] ADVISORY COUNCILS...................................................................................... 18
SEC. 316. [16 U.S.C. 1445b] ENHANCING SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES ......... 19
SEC. 317. [16 U.S.C. 1445nt] SHORT TITLE..................................................................................................... 20
SEC. 318 [16 U.S.C. 1445c] DR. NANCY FOSTER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.......................................... 20

National Marine Sanctuaries Act

(b)

DISCLAIMER.—This section shall not affect the following:
(1)
RESPONSIBILITIES OF SECRETARY.—The responsibilities of the Secretary to provide for
the protection, conservation, and display of artifacts and materials from the United
States ship Monitor.
(2)
AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—The authority of the Secretary to designate the Mariner's
Museum, located at Newport News, Virginia, as the principal museum for coordination
of activities referred to in paragraph (1).

SEC. 315. [16 U.S.C. 1445A] ADVISORY COUNCILS
(a)

ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary may establish one or more advisory councils (in this section
referred to as an “Advisory Council”) to advise and make recommendations to the Secretary
regarding the designation and management of national marine sanctuaries. The Advisory
Councils shall be exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

(b)

MEMBERSHIP.—Members of the Advisory Councils may be appointed from among—
(1)
persons employed by Federal or State agencies with expertise in management of natural
resources;
(2)
members of relevant Regional Fishery Management Councils established under section
1852 of this title; and
(3)
representatives of local user groups, conservation and other public interest
organizations, scientific organizations, educational organizations, or others interested in
the protection and multiple use management of sanctuary resources.

(c)

LIMITS ON MEMBERSHIP.—For sanctuaries designated after November 4, 1992, the membership
of Advisory Councils shall be limited to no more than 15 members.

(d)

STAFFING AND ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may make available to an Advisory Council any
staff, information, administrative services, or assistance the Secretary determines are
reasonably required to enable the Advisory Council to carry out its functions.

(e)

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND PROCEDURAL MATTERS.—The following guidelines apply with
respect to the conduct of business meetings of an Advisory Council:
(1)
Each meeting shall be open to the public, and interested persons shall be permitted to
present oral or written statements on items on the agenda.
(2)
Emergency meetings may be held at the call of the chairman or presiding officer.
(3)
Timely notice of each meeting, including the time, place, and agenda of the meeting,
shall be published locally and in the Federal Register, except that in the case of a
meeting of an Advisory Council established to provide assistance regarding any
individual national marine sanctuary the notice is not required to be published in the
Federal Register.
(4)
Minutes of each meeting shall be kept and contain a summary of the attendees and
matters discussed.

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