Hitch in North Coast marine sanctuary plans delays unveiling

Mary Callahan, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Last-minute details related to expansion plans for two adjoining marine sanctuaries off the North Coast were still being hammered out between federal agencies Tuesday, delaying publication of a final rule, officials said.
There was no indication of a hitch significant enough to derail the expansion proposal, which was developed over the past two years under the direction of President Barack Obama.
It was unclear, however, just what was holding up the process, representatives with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
A spokesman for the National Marine Sanctuaries program said last week that the legal consultations underway between various agencies are typically privileged, though there have been reports that some of the delay, at least, relates to discussions over U.S. Coast Guard operations within sanctuary boundaries.
But most parties following developments said they doubted there was any cause for alarm.
Read more via Hitch in North Coast marine sanctuary plans delays | The Press Democrat.