displace resident wildlife. During the construction of a facility, 

 soils will be more easily eroded. Run-off from such an area is usually 

 very turbid and can be environmentally damaging. Also, if additional 

 channels or piers are required, dredging will be necessary. The impacts 

 of dredging include changes in the hydrography, resuspension of sediment 

 and destruction of organisms in the immediate area by physical damage 

 or suffocation. A description of and the potential environmental impacts 

 associated with some OCS-related facilities are summarized in Table 5. 

 In general, the impacts of an OCS-related facility are similar to 

 the impacts of any large industrial facility. Adverse effects can be 

 minimized by siting these facilities in appropriate areas and by de- 

 veloping effective environmental regulations. The Redevelopment of 

 Quonset/Davisville: An Environmental Assessment prepared by the Uni- 

 versity of Rhode Island for the R.I. Department of Economic Development 

 assesses the suitability of specific sites for various OCS-related 

 facilities and recommends appropriate environmental regulations. Simi- 

 lar studies will need to be conducted on other areas being considered 

 for onshore OCS-related facilities. Also, careful consideration should 

 be given to the routing of a pipeline. To mitigate potential environ- 

 mental impacts the pipeline should avoid highly productive fishing 

 grounds and unique natural coastal areas. 



25 



