Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



Page 144 



possibility of disposal of dredged materials directly 

 within the Sanctuary. The environmental 

 consequences of boundary alternative #5, therefore, 

 are anticipated to be beneficial to living and non- 

 living resources of the Stellwagen Banli/Jeffreys 

 Ledge/Tillies Bank system. 



4. Management Alternative 



Management alternative #1 would provide 

 Sanctuary management from SRD headquarters in 

 Washington, D.C. Implementation of Sanctuary 

 progrcuns would be coordinated via cooperative 

 agreements and other arrangements with existing 

 Federal, State, emd/or regional programs in the area 

 of the Sanctuary. 



Although the economic consequences of this 

 alternative are beneficial in at least the short-term, 

 the long-range effects of adopting management 

 alternative #1 would be detrimental to meeting 

 Sanctuary Program goals and objectives. Because 

 Program goals would be difficult to meet, it is likely 

 that the Sanctuary's resources would be, over the 

 long-term, adversely affected environmentally by this 

 alternative. 



Under the preferred management alternative 

 #2, Sanctuary administrative functions and 

 programs would be phased in, with initial emphasis 

 placed on research and education/ interpretative 

 activities. An independent administrative and 

 management system would be housed in a NOAA- 

 operated facility; and a Sanctuary Manager and 

 administrative assistant would be identified soon 

 after Sanctuary designation. Additional Sanctuary 

 staffing, consisting of a research coordinator, an 

 education coordinator and at least one enforcement 

 officer, would be identified within a short period of 

 time following initial staffing actions. 



The Sanctuary staff would coordinate directly 

 with other existing Federal and State agencies in the 

 implementation of Sanctuary regulations. In 

 combination with a Sanctuary Advisory Committee, 

 the Sanctuary Manager would initiate the processes 

 of informing the pubhc and regional officials of the 

 Sanctuary's mandate, regulations, and research and 

 education programs. 



This alternative is immediately cost-effective, 

 and provides the framework for implementing 

 Sanctuary programs within a short period of time. 

 Additionally, the early on-site presence of a modest 

 staff provides the opportunity to determine the 

 feasibility of future "satellite" information centers at 

 one or more locations. It is anticipated that the 

 environmental consequences of this management 

 alternative would be beneficial to Sanctuary 

 resources and qualities, by the initiation of 

 Sanctu£U7 programs, followed by expanded program 

 activities and facilities, as they are identified as 

 necessary. 



Management alternative #3 would establish a 

 Sanctuary headquarters within six months following 

 designation, and also provide fuU staffing, consisting 

 of a Sanctuary Manager, administrative assistant, 

 research coordinator, education coordinator, and 

 one or more enforcement officials. Additionally, 

 "satellite" information centers would be quickly 

 established for the user and other interested pubhc 

 to provide information on the Sanctuary's mandate, 

 regulations, and research and education programs. 



This alternative provides for rapid 

 implementation of the Sanctuary program, 

 enhancing the potential for early coordination 

 efforts and cultivation of public support for the 

 Sanctuary. The full-time research and education 

 coordinators would provide the Sanctuary Manager 

 with the opportunity to focus on programmatic 

 coordination with existing management authorities 

 and resource protection efforts. 



The initial costs of this management alternative 

 are obviously higher than alternatives #1 or #2. 

 Over the longer-term, these staff and facilities are 

 likely to be necessary to a successful Sanctuary 

 program at Stellwagen Bank; however, in the short- 

 term, full staffing and multiple facihties immediately 

 following Sanctuary designation are likely to be 

 prematurely placed. Environmental benefits to 

 Sanctuary resources and qualities are likely to be 

 better served by implementation of staffing and 

 facihties at a reasonable pace, estabhshed as 

 determined necessary for the public. 



