Restoration Blueprint Timeline

NOAA is undertaking the first comprehensive review of the management plan, zones, boundary, and regulations for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary since 1997. Since that time, much has changed in relation to specific habitats and marine species that could benefit from modified or enhanced marine zoning and regulatory changes.

This is a multi-step public process. The 2011 sanctuary condition report was the first of its kind for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and provided an important baseline showing that the habitats and resources within the sanctuary were continuing to be degraded. Since its publication, the condition report has served as a guide for the comprehensive review of the sanctuary's regulations and management plan. In August 2019, NOAA released a draft environmental impact statement which provided a range of alternatives for modified and new marine zones that received over 1,200 unique comments.

In July 2022, NOAA released a revised draft management plan and published a notice of proposed rulemaking ("proposed rule") for public comment. The proposed modified and/or new marine zones in the proposed rule are informed by public comments on the draft environmental impact statement, additional agency input, and scientific and user data. The public is invited to comment on the proposed rule and draft revised management plan from July 13 to October 21, 2022.

The timeline below outlines the previous, current, and future steps in the Restoration Blueprint process for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.