TITLE 2: NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION 1: MARITIME AND COASTAL RESOURCES
§ 1640. Statement of Purpose. The purpose of this bill is to designate Bird Island and Forbidden Island as sanctuaries for the conservation of wildlife and marine life. Designation of Bird Island and Forbidden Island as sanctuaries is in the public interest as it promotes the concept of conserving and protecting our natural resources. These sanctuaries will serve as a natural laboratory for continued propagation of wildlife and marine species, which gradually and naturally can repopulate depopulated areas of our lagoon and island. These sanctuaries shall also provide a laboratory for students, teachers and research groups to study wildlife and marine species of the Marianas Islands. Forbidden Island Sanctuary shall have boundaries beginning from the cliff line of Lau Lau Bay Golf Course, Chikeru, encompassing all of Forbidden Island and extending to and inclusive of Tank Beach. This sanctuary extends onethousand feet from the low tide line seaward. The Bird Island Sanctuary shall have boundaries beginning at Lichan Point and extending south inclusive of the Grotto, Bird Island, Bird Island Bay to and inclusive of Bird Island Lookout. This sanctuary shall extend one-thousand feet from the low tide line seaward and fivehundred feet up the face of the cliff line; provided that, the boundaries shall not affect any preexisting public land leases. Source: PL 12-46, § 1. Commission Comment: PL 12-46 that created this article took effect on April 20, 2001. The following severability and savings clauses were provided in PL 12-46: Section 7. Severability. If any provision of this Act or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance should be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Act or the application of its provision to persons or circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid shall not be affected thereby. Section 8. Savings Clause. This Act and any repealer contained herein shall not be construed as affecting any existing right acquired under contract or acquired under statutes repealed or under any rule, regulation or order adopted under the statutes. Repealers contained in this Act shall not have the effect of terminating, or in any way modifying, any liability, civil or criminal, which shall be already be in existence at the date this Act becomes effective.