Excerpt from: California Boating Laws
State of California, Boating Laws, 2010

307. Mooring to or destroying buoys. Every person who moors any vessel to, or hangs on with a vessel to, or who willfully removes, damages or destroys, any buoy or beacon (3) placed by competent authority in any navigable waters of this state, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Which is the BEST way to restate the phrase labeled (3) without changing the meaning?
A) positioned in the water by a state marine biologist
B) arranged in a negotiable waters by well known authorities
C) put there by authorities who know what they’re doing
D) placed in any of the state’s navigable waters by a knowledgeable official

The best way to restate the phrase labeled (3) without changing the meaning is D) placed in any of the state's navigable waters by a knowledgeable official.

Explanation:

Option D) is the correct answer because it paraphrases the original phrase without changing the essence of any of the elements:

- placed in any of the state's navigable waters is almost the same as in any navigable waters of this state, unlike positioned in the water by a state, arranged in a negotiable waters or put there that are significantly different.

- by a knowledgeable official carries the same meaning as by competent authority, because they both make reference to an expert of the area that is, at the same time, a public official.