NOAA RELEASES
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (FEIS)

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary’s management plan revision process is now available. The FEIS presents a range of alternatives for modified and new Sanctuary regulations, provides environmental and socioeconomic impact analyses of those regulatory alternatives, and provides responses to public comments previously submitted on the Draft Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The proposed Sanctuary regulation changes analyzed in the FEIS are not yet final. NOAA will publish the final set of sanctuary regulations (i.e., the final rule) within the Federal Register not sooner than 30 days following issuance of the FEIS. The FEIS is Volume 2 of a set, with Volume 1 being the Final Management Plan (FMP). The FMP will become available next, when the final rule is published.

The public comment period for the Sanctuary’s 2006 Draft Management Plan / Draft Environmental Impact Statement closed on July 21, 2006. The public comment period for the 2008 Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement closed on May 30, 2008.

To read more about and to download these documents, please refer to our “Reports & Documents" page.

Does the FEIS, or will the Final Management Plan propose marine reserves or expanding sanctuary boundaries? 

No. The management plan and FEIS does not propose either. However, the FMP will contain an action plan that acknowledges that in the future CINMS will evaluate boundary change options. As for marine reserves, a network of protected zones (marine reserves and conservation areas) within CINMS was completed in 2007 pursuant to a separate regulatory process.

Click here for information on marine reserves. 
Click here for information on Sanctuary boundary issues.

 

For more information, refer to the menu links on this page (at left), email the Management Plan Coordinator regarding questions
or call 805-884-1464.