Monitor National Marine Sanctuary; Special Use Permit

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This is a public notice of intent to issue, and a request for applications for a special use permit to conduct non-research diving at the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary (MNMS). Public comments are invited. Since 1975, NOAA has protected and preserved the wreck of the USS Monitor as a significant historical resource by restricting physical access except for research expeditions. NOAA recognizes that changes in dive technology and experience in the dive community have resulted in a growing public interest to dive at this site. Thus, NOAA intends to issue, on a trial basis, a special use permit to a qualified dive concessionaire, selected competitively, for non-intrusive dives at this site over a period of 2 weeks during the 1994 season. Because any touching of the monitor or its debris field will be prohibited, NOAA expects that no disruption or harm will occur at the site from dive activities. NOAA will review this trial activity, evaluate impacts to the Monitor, if any, and assess whether to issue subsequent special use permits.