5-Year Review

The final rule establishing the sanctuary nomination process included a five-year limit on any nomination added to the inventory that NOAA does not advance for designation. In November 2019, NOAA issued a notice (84 FR 61546) to clarify procedures for evaluating and updating a nomination as it approaches the five-year mark. The clarified procedure ensures the inventory contains nominations that remain relevant and responsive to the four national significance criteria and seven management considerations.

When nominations on the inventory approach the five-year mark, NOAA may solicit comment in writing or via a workshop to gain insights about the nomination's continued relevance and responsiveness to the 11 criteria on national significance and management considerations. NOAA will only be considering public comments with new or relevant information that are responsive to the 11 criteria.

The process to update a nomination about to expire at the five-year mark includes the following steps:

• ONMS notifies the nominating party around the four and a half-year mark to give the nominating party an opportunity to provide updates of the nominated area's relevance and responsiveness to the 11 criteria on national significance and management considerations.
• ONMS staff works with partners to gather information on the nomination's relevance to the 11 criteria on national significance and management considerations. This information gathering could include gathering information through public processes such as a public workshop or written comment period, as examples.
• ONMS reviews information received from the original nominating party, partners, the public and other relevant sources against the 11 criteria on national significance and management consideration to assess if the nomination is still accurate, relevant and responsive.
• ONMS staff produce a brief synopsis report to the ONMS Director for decision, presenting an analysis of information that has been collected, and a recommendation regarding maintaining the nomination in the inventory, or removing it once the five-year anniversary is reached.

Whether removing or maintaining a nomination after the five-year mark, NOAA would follow the same procedure for notifying the public as was followed when the nomination was submitted, including a letter to the nominator, a notice in the Federal Register, and posting information on this website.

Nominations Evaluated Under the 5-Year Review by ONMS

None at this time

Nominations Maintained on the Inventory After the 5-Year Review

Nomination Removed from Consideration