dredging, construction in marshes, oil spills from transportation sources, 

 demographic changes, and harbor support facilities. Habitats which may be 

 adversely affected include; marshes, oyster reefs, beaches, dune regions, fish 

 and shellfish nursery grounds, wildlife habitat and refuges, coastal islands, 

 and farming lands. 



The digging of pipeline trenches in various habitats (near shore, wet- 

 lands, and uplands) causes considerable localized impacts. The 50 to 60 

 foot swath needed for construction equipment movement and burial of the 

 pipeline is the most seriously altered. If pipeline corridors are to be 

 used, the path of disturbance would encompass a wider area locally but 



would also disrupt less land on a total scale. 



The following description of likely impacts on Mid and South Atlantic 



OCS onshore habitats is taken from BLM's Final EIS on the Lease Sale No. 40 



(pp. 316-319): 



Upland vegetative communities are liable to be impacted from 

 pipeline burials or construction of onshore facilities. Impacts 

 upon them would primarily be their removal in the clearing pro- 

 cess prior to construction and while dredging from the burial 

 of pipelines. This would initiate a period of secondary succes- 

 sion in the immediate area affected. These areas would be rela- 

 tively small but the plant succession associated with them would 

 continue for a long time. The principal vegetative covers in the 

 storage areas would probably be grass for the convenience of 

 working in close proximity to storage facilities. 



Other aspects of onshore facilities can impact vegetation, including 

 maintenance activities, changes in air quality, and toxic spills. Impacts 

 on vegetation due to pipeline and storage facility spills can occur. Herba- 

 ceous or sessile forms receive the greatest impacts due to direct toxicity or 

 smothering while large mobile forms are not covered by oil and are less likely 

 to be impacted (1 , p. 318-319). On a long-term basis the possibility of impacts 

 would probably continue at least as long as the various facilities are in use 



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