InsideGov
Congress · Laws

A bill to reauthorize title II of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, for fiscal years 1989 and 1990, and for other purposes.

Public Law 100-627 · H.R. 4210 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 7, 1988 · Environmental Protection

Sponsor: Rep. Michael Lowry (D-WA-7)

Cosponsors (6): Rep. Walter Jones,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Title I: Comprehensive Ocean Dumping Research Program Amendments and Authorization - Amends title II (monitoring and research programs for ocean and coastal dumping) of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to require the Secretary of Commerce to ensure that the comprehensive and continuing program of research into the long-range effects of pollution, overfishing, and man-induced changes of ocean ecosystems is consistent with the comprehensive plan relating to ocean pollution developed under the National Ocean Pollution Planning Act of 1978. Directs the Under Secretary of Commerce to report to the Congress on October 31 of each year on the title II monitoring and research programs carried out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency and the amount of funds allocated to each of such programs.

Authorizes appropriations under title II through FY 1990.

Title II: National Marine Sanctuaries Program Amendments and Authorization - Amends title III (National Marine Sanctuaries) of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to publish a designation notice (or findings regarding why such notice has not been published) within 30 months after publication of a notice declaring a site to be an active candidate for sanctuary designation.

Requires the Secretary to take the action necessary to promote and coordinate the use of national marine sanctuaries for research.

Authorizes the Secretary to issue special use permits for the conduct of specified activities in a national marine sanctuary if it is necessary to condition access to and use of, or promote public use and understanding of, a sanctuary resource. Requires that such permits: (1) authorize only those activities which are compatible with the purposes for which the sanctuary is designated and sanctuary resource protection; (2) last for no more than five years, unless renewed; and (3) require permittees to purchase and maintain comprehensive general liability insurance against claims arising out of permitted activities and agree to hold the Federal Government harmless against such claims. Authorizes the imposition of permit fees which, after recovering permit issuance costs and costs incurred by the Secretary as the direct result of permitted activities, provide the Federal Government with a reasonable return. Authorizes the use of collected fees for the permit program, and for designating and managing sanctuaries. Imposes penalties for the violation of permit provisions. Directs each permittee to submit an annual report to the Secretary which describes activities conducted pursuant to such permit and revenues derived from such activities during the year. Excludes fishing from this Act's permit process.

Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with nonprofit organizations to aid and promote interpretive, historical, scientific, and educational activities, and solicit private donations for such activities.

Subjects anyone who destroys, causes the loss of, or injures any sanctuary resource to liability to the Federal Government for response costs and damages resulting from such destruction, loss, or injury. Subjects vessels to liability in rem for such costs or damages. Sets forth defenses to such liability. Directs the Secretary to pursue civil actions against persons or vessels who may be liable for such costs or damages.

Sets forth dates by which the Secretary must issue a designation notice regarding the proposed Cordell Banks, Flower Garden Banks, Monterey Bay, and Western Washington Outer Coast National Marine Sanctuaries. Requires the Secretary to submit prospectuses to specified congressional committees by March 31, 1991, regarding the Northern Puget Sound National Marine Sanctuary, and by September 30, 1990, regarding Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a study to determine whether all or any part of the Santa Monica Bay area and three marine areas in the Florida Keys should be designated as national marine sanctuaries or added to specified existing sanctuaries. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress regarding such study within two years of this Act's enactment and commence the designation process with respect to areas found appropriate for designation or inclusion in existing sanctuaries.

Authorizes specified enforcement actions against title III violators, including: (1) the imposition of a civil penalty of up to $50,000 for each day a person is guilty of a violation; (2) the forfeiture of any vessel and other item used, and any sanctuary resource taken or retained in connection with or as a result of a violation; and (3) injunctive relief.

Authorizes appropriations under title III of the Act through FY 1992. Divides such authorization among the categories general administration, management of sanctuaries, and site review and analysis.

Directs the Secretary to submit a plan to specified congressional committees, within six months of this Act's enactment, for a suitable permanent display in coastal North Carolina of artifacts and materials of the U.S.S. Monitor.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation, within six months of this Act's enactment, to transmit to the Congress: (1) provisions of international conventions and U.S. laws and regulations which reduce the risk of a vessel collision or incident resulting in environmental damage in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary; (2) provisions of the National Contingency Plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances which enable the Secretary to effectively respond to an oil pollution incident affecting such sanctuary; (3) a list of pollution exercises conducted and a schedule of such exercises to be conducted under the National Contingency Plan in the Santa Barbara Channel; (4) a report on the establishment of safety fairways off the California coast and the Long Beach NAVTEX in Long Beach, California; and (5) a report on the status and recommendations of all Federal, State, and local studies into the hazards shipping poses to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prepare and submit a proposal to the International Maritime Organization to designate the portion of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary which is outside of the Santa Barbara Channel Traffic Separation Scheme as an area to be avoided.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee; Oceanography Subcommittee
  • Science, Space, and Technology Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Environment Subcommittee
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.

  1. Nov 7, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-627.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 27, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 13, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Oct 12, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  6. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  7. Oct 4, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 415 - 2 (Record Vote No: 402).House roll call 402
  8. May 24, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Environment Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  9. May 13, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  10. Apr 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  11. Mar 23, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Oceanography Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  17. Mar 21, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  19. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.