Council News and Actions

Following a competitive review process, the Director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries recently appointed two individuals to serve on the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. Lauren Stefaniak of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was selected to serve a second term as University Education representative on the council. Kent Wicker of Charleston, South Carolina was selected to serve in a newly added third Citizen-At-Large seat. Superintendent Stan Rogers welcomes both council members to the team, confident that they bring unique community perspectives to the council's advisory role in sanctuary management.

Letter to John Armor, director of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, regarding advisory council concerns with text and conditions within likeness and copyright release forms used by NOAA for advisory council administrative purposes - View/Download - 1 November 2022

Established the 30 x 30 Working Group to explore existing regional activities or new proposals for President Biden's 30 X 30 Conserving America the Beautiful Initiative that relate directly to natural resource and habitat conservation at GRNMS - 24 March 2022.

Received and accepted final reports from, and subsequently disbanded, the Science Advisory Working Group (SAG) and the Recreational Fishing Working Group. Confirmed that the Law Enforcement Working Group had accomplished past assigned goals and disbanded the group.

Letter to John Armor, director of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, regarding advisory council recommendations about the Conserving America the Beautiful Initiative (also known as the 30x30 Initiative) - View/Download - 29 November 2021

Letter to Stan Rogers, superintendent of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, regarding final report out and dissolution of the Ecological Connectivity Working Group of the advisory council. View/Download - 5 February 2021.

Letter to Michael Denmark, chair of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, regarding final report out of the Ecological Connectivity Working Group of the advisory council. View/Download - 29 January 2021.

Letter in response to the call for public comments on the Five-Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Draft Proposed Program (OPP) for 2019 to 2024, as proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and referenced in Federal Register Volume 83, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 2018) Notices, Pages 829-834,FR Doc No: 2018-0008 - View/Download - 2 March 2018

Letter to John Armor, director of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, regarding visitor use at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary - View/Download - 29 November 2017

Letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Environmental Studies Program - View/Download - 20 November 2015

Letter of Support for Characterizing and Monitoring Natural and Anthropogenic Sound in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary - View/Download - 16 June 2014

Comment Letter on the Proposed Rule to Eliminate the Expiration Date Contained in the Final Rule to Reduce the Threat of Ship Collisions with North Atlantic Right Whales - View/Download - 26 July 2013

Letter of Support for Reactivation of the Site Evaluation list - View/Download - 9 October 2012
Ocean Acidification Resolution - View/Download - 28 January 2010.

Letter of Recommendation on Research Coordinator Position - View/Download - 15 April 2010

Recommendations on Research Area Designation - View/Download - 19 August 2008

Recommendations on Research Area Designation - View/Download - 22 June 2005