Proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary; Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

NOAA proposes to designate the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary (LONMS) in eastern Lake Ontario to recognize the national significance of the area’s historical, archaeological, and cultural resources and to manage this special place as part of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The proposed sanctuary boundary would encompass 1,302 nmi\2\ (1,724 mi\2\) of eastern Lake Ontario waters and would border Wayne, Cayuga, Oswego, and Jefferson counties. NOAA would co-manage LONMS with New York State. NOAA also proposes regulations to implement the national marine sanctuary designation and establish its terms of designation. This proposed rule follows NOAA’s publication of a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) and draft management plan (DMP) in July 2021. NOAA is soliciting public comment on the proposed rule, as well as possible names for the sanctuary.