mad4wrecks
Bronze Member
- Dec 20, 2004
- 2,263
- 109
- Detector(s) used
- Aquapulse, DetectorPro Headhunter, Fisher F75
- Primary Interest:
- Shipwrecks
Shipwreck salvage company destroys coral reef off Rota
by MONETH G. DEPOSA
SAIPAN, CNMI (10 Nov 2006) -- IOTA Partners, which is conducting excavation work in connection with the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita off Rota, has been told to desist from violating environmental laws of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and to mitigate damage caused by its actions.
An administrative order issued to the company stated that certain IOTA actions violated the Coastal Resource Management permit conditions, the Division of Environmental Quality's water quality standards, and the Division of Fish and Wildlife's regulations.
According to Reina Camacho, Department of Environmental Quality spokeswoman, the Seattle-based company violated Coastal Resource Management regulations when it laid concrete slabs on the reef flat and deployed a tracked excavator directly on the reef without a permit.
It also failed to submit a cleanup plan as ordered by Coastal Resource Management.
"IOTA disturbed living coral and disrupted fish habitat when it installed 78 one-ton concrete blocks on the coral reef, violating the Fish, Game, and Endangered Species Act," Camacho said in a statement, adding that further damage was caused to the coral reef when IOTA employees drove the 51-ton excavator with metal treads directly over the reef.
She said the improper use of the excavator also resulted in the discharge of debris on the reef, thereby affecting water quality on the reef and violating the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Water Quality Standards, as well as the Environmental Protection Act.
According to Frank M. Rabauliman, Department of Environmental Quality director, the agency sent a notice of violation to IOTA on Sept. 1, 2001.
IOTA was told to mitigate the harm to the aquatic environment and avoid future violations by complying with the Coastal Resource Management enforcement notice and instructions from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to take corrective measures regarding the infractions and damage to the reef flat.
IOTA was told to survey the damage to the reef flat with an independent survey team.
IOTA was required to disclose its plans to repair or mitigate the damage identified by the survey, which is subject to approval from local natural resources agencies.
IOTA Partners has been allowed by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to salvage the wreck after finding the ship's anchor and artifacts. The proceeds of any sale of recovered artifacts will be shared with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which will get a quarter of the total amount.
Moreover, IOTA must estimate the reasonable value of any damage that cannot be substantially rectified.
"Failure to complete the steps as specified will result in penalties as set forth by the law for each violation dating back to the day of the receipt of the order," Department of Environmental Quality stated.
"Coastal Resource Management, Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Fish and Wildlife expect IOTA to cooperate fully and to comply with the (law)," Camacho said in a statement.
Since 1995, IOTA has spent millions of dollars in searching the remains of the 1601 trade galleon Sta. Margarita, which sunk in strong currents outside the reef off the isle of Rota's Teteto village.
Bound for Acapulco, and loaded with gold, spices, porcelain, textiles and Asian-made items, the ship sailed from Manila in July 1600.
IOTA Partners has been allowed by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to salvage the wreck after finding the ship's anchor and artifacts.
The proceeds of any sale of recovered artifacts will be shared with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which will get a quarter of the total amount.
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands also has first choice of the artifacts.
by MONETH G. DEPOSA
SAIPAN, CNMI (10 Nov 2006) -- IOTA Partners, which is conducting excavation work in connection with the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita off Rota, has been told to desist from violating environmental laws of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and to mitigate damage caused by its actions.
An administrative order issued to the company stated that certain IOTA actions violated the Coastal Resource Management permit conditions, the Division of Environmental Quality's water quality standards, and the Division of Fish and Wildlife's regulations.
According to Reina Camacho, Department of Environmental Quality spokeswoman, the Seattle-based company violated Coastal Resource Management regulations when it laid concrete slabs on the reef flat and deployed a tracked excavator directly on the reef without a permit.
It also failed to submit a cleanup plan as ordered by Coastal Resource Management.
"IOTA disturbed living coral and disrupted fish habitat when it installed 78 one-ton concrete blocks on the coral reef, violating the Fish, Game, and Endangered Species Act," Camacho said in a statement, adding that further damage was caused to the coral reef when IOTA employees drove the 51-ton excavator with metal treads directly over the reef.
She said the improper use of the excavator also resulted in the discharge of debris on the reef, thereby affecting water quality on the reef and violating the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Water Quality Standards, as well as the Environmental Protection Act.
According to Frank M. Rabauliman, Department of Environmental Quality director, the agency sent a notice of violation to IOTA on Sept. 1, 2001.
IOTA was told to mitigate the harm to the aquatic environment and avoid future violations by complying with the Coastal Resource Management enforcement notice and instructions from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to take corrective measures regarding the infractions and damage to the reef flat.
IOTA was told to survey the damage to the reef flat with an independent survey team.
IOTA was required to disclose its plans to repair or mitigate the damage identified by the survey, which is subject to approval from local natural resources agencies.
IOTA Partners has been allowed by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to salvage the wreck after finding the ship's anchor and artifacts. The proceeds of any sale of recovered artifacts will be shared with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which will get a quarter of the total amount.
Moreover, IOTA must estimate the reasonable value of any damage that cannot be substantially rectified.
"Failure to complete the steps as specified will result in penalties as set forth by the law for each violation dating back to the day of the receipt of the order," Department of Environmental Quality stated.
"Coastal Resource Management, Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Fish and Wildlife expect IOTA to cooperate fully and to comply with the (law)," Camacho said in a statement.
Since 1995, IOTA has spent millions of dollars in searching the remains of the 1601 trade galleon Sta. Margarita, which sunk in strong currents outside the reef off the isle of Rota's Teteto village.
Bound for Acapulco, and loaded with gold, spices, porcelain, textiles and Asian-made items, the ship sailed from Manila in July 1600.
IOTA Partners has been allowed by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to salvage the wreck after finding the ship's anchor and artifacts.
The proceeds of any sale of recovered artifacts will be shared with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which will get a quarter of the total amount.
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands also has first choice of the artifacts.
Now those are some brilliant men aboard that ship. At least they had the foresight to lay down 73 tons of concrete blocks first . 
But for the record, if I saw you drive an excavator across a reef, you'd have another bullet hole 
