PART IV: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF ALTERNATIVES IV. Section: Unavoidable Adverse Environmental or Socioeconomic Effects Cover Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables Part I: Executive Summary Part II: The Affected Environment I. Section II.Section III. Section IV. Section Part III: Alternatives Including The Preferred Alternative I. Section II.Section III. Section Part IV Environmental Concequences I. Section II.Section III. Section IV. Section V. Section Part V: Sanctuary Management Plan I. Section II.Section III. Section IV. Section V. Section Part VI: List of Preparers and Alternatives Part VII: List of Agencies, Organizations, and Persons Receiving Copies Part VIII: References Part IX Appendices   Part IV Table of Contents IV. Section: Unavoidable Adverse Environmental or Socioeconomic Effects Specific environmental and socioeconomic effects of each proposed regulation are included throughout the environmental consequences section of the preferred alternative. The net environmental and socioeconomic effects of designating the Sanctuary and implementing the Sanctuary Management Plan and regulations are estimated to be positive. While such effects are difficult to quantify, the goals of the Sanctuary in part will be to maintain or improve water quality, fisheries, aesthetics and tourism without causing any adverse effects. The proposed final Sanctuary regulations would allow all activities to be conducted in the Sanctuary except for a relatively narrow range of prohibited activities (subject to all prohibitions, restrictions and conditions validly imposed by any other authority of competent jurisdiction, and subject to the liability established by Section 312 of the Act). The procedures proposed in these regulations for applying for National Marine Sanctuary permits to conduct otherwise prohibited activities, for requesting certifications for existing licenses, permits, approvals, other authorizations or rights authorizing the, and requesting approval of, conduct of a prohibited activity, and for notifying NOAA of applications for authorizations to conduct a prohibited activity, would impose a cost in time and effort on the part of applicants for such permits or certifications/approvals. However, NOAA will keep such costs to a minimum by working closely with State and Federal regulatory and permitting agencies to avoid any duplication of effort and setting guidelines for expeditious review of applications. The regulations prohibiting discharges and deposits and alteration of or construction on the seabed may require permit holders or applicants for such activities to seek other areas of disposal or apply higher levels of treatment. All measures, terms and conditions applied to existing activities will be done in consultation with the affected party and the appropriate management agency. The MOA is intended, in part, to avoid adverse socioeconomic impacts on dischargers in the area while at the same time, increasing environmental protection by coordinating NOAA actions with existing Federal and state agencies. Estimates of revenue foregone by the proposed prohibition of oil, gas and mineral activities within the Sanctuary boundary has been presented in detail under the socioeconomic consequences for this proposed final regulation. Balancing the foregone revenue would be the adverse environmental and socioeconomic effects avoided by the proposed prohibition. For example, the proposed prohibition may alleviate or remove matters ranging from costs to local communities for developing on-shore facilities to political and legal action resulting from public controversy and apprehension concerning proposed oil and gas activities. It is not possible to quantify the positive socioeconomic effects of prohibiting OCS oil and gas activities. The recent NAS study (1989) on the Adequacy of Environmental Information For Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Decisions: Florida and California found that "few data have been collected by MMS or anyone else to address the social and economic impacts of OCS activities". Section V Part IV Table of Contents I. Section: Boundary Alternatives IV-5 A. Introduction IV-5 B. Boundary Alternative 1 IV-5 C. Boundary Alternative 2 IV-8 D. Boundary Alternative 3 IV-10 E. Boundary Alternative 4 IV-11 F. Boundary Alternative 5 IV-12 G. Boundary Alternative 6 IV-13 H. Boundary Alternative 7 IV-14 II. Section: Regulatory Alternatives IV-16 A. Introduction IV-16 B. Oil, Gas and Mineral Activities IV-17 1. Status Quo IV-17 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-17 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-22 2. Sanctuary Alternative 2 (Preferred) IV-22 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-22 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-25 C. Discharges or Deposits IV-27 1. Status Quo IV-27 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-27 (1) Discharges from Point Sources IV-27 (2) Discharges from Non-Point Sources (NPS) IV-28 (3) Hazardous waste, oil and trash disposal IV-29 (4) Ocean dumping IV-30 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-30 2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-31 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-31 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-31 D. Historical Resources IV-36 1. Status Quo IV-36 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-36 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-36 2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-36 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-36 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-37 E. Alteration of or Construction on the Seabed IV-39 1. Status Quo IV-39 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-39 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-40 2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-40 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-40 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-41 F. Taking Marine Mammals, Turtles and Seabirds IV-42 1. Status Quo IV-42 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-42 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-43 2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-43 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-43 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-43 G. Overflights IV-45 1. Status Quo IV-45 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-45 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-45 2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-45 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-45 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-46 H. Operation of "Personal Water Craft" IV-48 1. Status Quo IV-48 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-48 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-48 2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-48 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-48 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-48 I. Vessel Traffic IV-50 1. Status Quo (Preferred) IV-50 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-50 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-51 2. Sanctuary Alternative IV-53 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-53 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-53 J. Fishing, Kelp harvesting and Aquaculture IV-54 1. Status Quo (Preferred) IV-54 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-54 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-54 2. Sanctuary Alternative IV-54 a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-54 b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-55 III. Section: Management Alternative Consequences IV-56 A. Consequences of Status Quo IV-56 1. Enforcement IV-56 2. Research and Education IV-57 B. Consequences of Sanctuary Alternative 1. IV-58 1. Enforcement IV-58 2. Research and Education IV-58 C. Consequences of Sanctuary Alternative 2 (Preferred) IV-58 1. Enforcement IV-58 2. Research and Education IV-59 IV. Section: Unavoidable Adverse Environmental or Socioeconomic Effects IV-61 V. Section: Relationship Between Short-term Uses of the Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-term Productivity IV-63 Home | Introduction | Visitors | Education | Research | Protection | Calendar Foundation | Search Credits For comments or question please refer to the Webmaster This page last modified on: November 21, 2008