(a) A person may conduct an activity prohibited by Sec. 922.122(a)(2) through (11) if conducted in accordance with the scope, purpose, terms, and conditions of a permit issued under this section and Sec. 922.48.
(b) Applications for such permits should be addressed to the Director, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries; Attn: Superintendent, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 4700 Avenue U, Building 216, Galveston, TX 77551.
(c) The Director, at his or her discretion, may issue a permit, subject to such terms and conditions as he or she deems appropriate, to conduct an activity prohibited by Sec. 922.122(a)(2) through (11), if the Director finds that the activity will: Further research related to Sanctuary resources; further the educational, natural or historical resource value of the Sanctuary; further salvage or recovery operations in or near the Sanctuary in connection with a recent air or marine casualty; or assist in managing the Sanctuary. In deciding whether to issue a permit, the Director shall consider such factors as: The professional qualifications and financial ability of the applicant as related to the proposed activity; the duration of the activity and the duration of its effects; the appropriateness of the methods and procedures proposed by the applicant for the conduct of the activity; the extent to which the conduct of the activity may diminish or enhance Sanctuary resources and qualities; the cumulative effects of the activity; and the end value of the activity. In addition, the Director may consider such other factors as he or she deems appropriate.
(d) It shall be a condition of any permit issued that the permit or a copy thereof be displayed on board all vessels or aircraft used in the conduct of the activity.
(e) The Director may, inter alia, make it a condition of any permit issued that any information obtained under the permit be made available to the public.
(f) The Director may, inter alia, make it a condition of any permit issued that a NOAA official be allowed to observe any activity conducted under the permit and/or that the permit holder submit one or more reports on the status, progress, or results of any activity authorized by the permit. [60 FR 66877, Dec. 27, 1995, as amended at 65 FR 81178, Dec. 22, 2000; 77 FR 25070, Apr. 27, 2012]
Sec. Appendix A to Subpart L of Part 922--Flower Garden Banks National
Marine Sanctuary Boundary Coordinates
This appendix contains a second set of boundary coordinates using the geographic positions of the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). FGBNMS coordinates are now provided in both North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27) and NAD 83. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude (N) Longitude (W)------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Flower Garden Bank: (NAD 27)------------------------------------------------------------------------E-1............................. 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 37'
53.82718`. 41.30310`E-2............................. 27 deg. 53' 93 deg. 38'
34.83434`. 23.35445`E-3............................. 27 deg. 55' 93 deg. 38'
13.64286`. 40.34368`E-4............................. 27 deg. 57' 93 deg. 38'
30.71927`. 33.26982`E-5............................. 27 deg. 58' 93 deg. 37'
27.66896`. 46.12447`E-6............................. 27 deg. 59' 93 deg. 35'
01.41554`. 31.74954`E-7............................. 27 deg. 59' 93 deg. 35'
00.50888`. 09.69198`E-8............................. 27 deg. 55' 93 deg. 34'
22.38258`. 14.79162`E-9............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 34'
04.05605`. 18.88720`E-10............................ 27 deg. 53' 93 deg. 35'
26.70972`. 05.00978`E-11............................ 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 36'
52.06998`. 57.23078`------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Flower Garden Bank: (NAD 27)------------------------------------------------------------------------W-1............................. 27 deg. 49' 93 deg. 50'
10.16324`. 45.27154`W-2............................. 27 deg. 50' 93 deg. 52'
12.35976`. 10.47158`W-3............................. 27 deg. 51' 93 deg. 52'
12.82777`. 51.63488`W-4............................. 27 deg. 51' 93 deg. 52'
32.41145`. 50.66983`W-5............................. 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 52'
49.88791`. 24.77053`W-6............................. 27 deg. 55' 93 deg. 49'
00.93450`. 43.68090`W-7............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 48'
58.33040`. 37.54501`W-8............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 47'
35.26067`. 10.34866`W-9............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 46'
14.80334`. 49.28963`W-10............................ 27 deg. 53' 93 deg. 46'
35.63704`. 51.25825`W-11............................ 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 47'
57.34474`. 15.26428`W-12............................ 27 deg. 50' 93 deg. 47'
40.26361`. 22.14179`
W-13............................ 27 deg. 49' 93 deg. 48'
10.89894`. 42.72307`------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stetson Bank: (NAD 27)------------------------------------------------------------------------S-1............................. 28 deg. 09' 94 deg. 18'
30.06738`. 31.34461`S-2............................. 28 deg. 10' 94 deg. 18'
09.24374`. 29.57042`S-3............................. 28 deg. 10' 94 deg. 17'
06.88036`. 23.26201`S-4............................. 28 deg. 09' 94 deg. 17'
27.70425`. 25.04315`------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Flower Garden Bank: (NAD 83)------------------------------------------------------------------------E-1............................. 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 37'
54.84288`. 41.84187`E-2............................. 27 deg. 53' 93 deg. 38'
35.80428`. 23.89520`E-3............................. 27 deg. 55' 93 deg. 38'
14.61048`. 40.88638`E-4............................. 27 deg. 57' 93 deg. 38'
31.68349`. 33.81421`E-5............................. 27 deg. 58' 93 deg. 37'
28.63153`. 46.66809`E-6............................. 27 deg. 59' 93 deg. 35'
02.37658`. 32.28918`E-7............................. 27 deg. 59' 93 deg. 35'
01.46983`. 10.23088`E-8............................. 27 deg. 55' 93 deg. 34'
23.34849`. 15.32560`E-9............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 34'
05.02387`. 19.42020`E-10............................ 27 deg. 53' 93 deg. 35'
27.67871`. 05.54379`E-11............................ 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 36'
53.04047`. 57.76805`------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Flower Garden Bank: (NAD 83)------------------------------------------------------------------------W-1............................. 27 deg. 49' 93 deg. 50'
11.14452`. 45.83401`W-2............................. 27 deg. 50' 93 deg. 52'
13.34001`. 11.03791`W-3............................. 27 deg. 51' 93 deg. 52'
13.80672`. 52.20349`W-4............................. 27 deg. 51' 93 deg. 52'
33.38988`. 51.23867`W-5............................. 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 52'
50.86415`. 25.33954`W-6............................. 27 deg. 55' 93 deg. 49'
01.90633`. 44.24605`W-7............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 48'
59.30189`. 38.10780`W-8............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 47'
36.23221`. 10.90806`W-9............................. 27 deg. 54' 93 deg. 46'
15.77527`. 49.84801`W-10............................ 27 deg. 53' 93 deg. 46'
36.60997`. 51.81616`W-11............................ 27 deg. 52' 93 deg. 47'
58.31880`. 15.82251`W-12............................ 27 deg. 50' 93 deg. 47'
41.24120`. 22.69837`W-13............................ 27 deg. 49' 93 deg. 48'
11.87936`. 43.28125`------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stetson Bank: (NAD 83)------------------------------------------------------------------------S-1............................. 28 deg. 09' 94 deg. 18'
31.02671`. 31.98164`S-2............................. 28 deg. 10' 94 deg. 18'
10.20196`. 30.20776`S-3............................. 28 deg. 10' 94 deg. 17'
07.83821`. 23.89688`S-4............................. 28 deg. 09' 94 deg. 17'
28.66320`. 25.67770`------------------------------------------------------------------------ [65 FR 81178, Dec. 22, 2000] Sec. Appendix B to Subpart L of Part 922--Coordinates for the Department
of the Interior Topographic Lease Stipulations for OCS Lease Sale 171 Aliquot Part Description of Biological Stipulation Area East Garden Bank
Block A-366 Texas Leasing Map No. 7C (High Island Area East Addition
South Extension) SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\; S\1/2\, NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\; SE\1/4\, NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\;
S\1/2\, SE\1/4\.
Block A-376 W\1/2\, NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\; SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\.
Block A-374 W\1/2\, NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; W\1/2\, SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\,
NW\1/4\; SW\1/4\,NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\, W\1/2\, SW\1/4\; W\1/2\, SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\; SE\1/4\,
SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\.
Block A-375 E\1/2\; E\1/2\, NW\1/4\; E\1/2\, NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\,
NW\1/4\; E\1/2\,SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; SW\1/4\.
Block A-388 NE\1/4\; E\1/2\, NW\1/4\; E\1/2\, NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\,
NW\1/4\; E\1/2\,NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\; NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\; NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\;
NE\1/4\,SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\; NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\; W\1/2\, NE\1/4\,
SE\1/4\; NW\1/4\,
Block A-389 NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\; NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\,
NW\1/4\; W\1/2\,SE\1/4\, NW\1/4\; N\1/2\, NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\. Aliquot Part Description of Biological Stipulation Area West Garden Bank
Block A-383 Texas Leasing Map No. 7C (High Island Area East Addition
South Extension) E\1/2\, SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\; SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\.
Block A-384 W\1/2\, SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\; SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\; S\1/2\, SE\1/4\,
NE\1/4\;SE\1/4\, NW\1/4\; E\1/2\, SW\1/4\; E\1/2\, NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\,
NW\1/4\,SW\1/4\; SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\; SE\1/4\.
Block A-385 SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\; NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\; NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\.
Block A-397 W\1/2\, W\1/2\, NW\1/4\; W\1/2\, NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\; NW\1/4\; SW\1/4\,
SW\1/4\.
Block A-398
Entire block.
Block A-399 E\1/2\, SE\1/4\, NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\; E\1/2\, SE\1/4\, NW\1/4\; E\1/2\,
NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\;SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\; NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\.
Block A-401 NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\; N\1/2\, NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\; NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\, NE\1/4\.
Block 134 Official Protraction Diagram NG15-02 (Garden Banks)
That portion of the block north of a line connecting a point on the east boundary of Block 134, X=1,378,080.00[foot], Y=10,096,183.00[foot], with a point on the west boundary of Block 134, X=1,367,079,385[foot], Y=10,096,183.000[foot], defined under the Universal Transverse Mercator grid system.
Block 135 Official Protraction Diagram NG15-02 (Garden Banks)
That portion of the block northwest of a line connecting the southeast corner of Texas Leasing Map No. 7C, Block A-398, X=1,383,293.840[foot], Y=10,103,281.930[foot], with a point on the west boundary of Official Protraction Diagram NG15-02, Block 135, X=1,378,080.000[foot], Y=10,096,183.000[foot], defined under the Universal Transverse Mercator grid system. [65 FR 81180, Dec. 22, 2000]