Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



Page 137 



the perspective of supply for the currently-initiated 

 or planned large public works projects in the Boston 

 metropohtan area, the need to remove sand and 

 gravel resources from Stellwagen Bank is highly 

 questionable. Additionally, the Bureau of Mines, 

 within the Department of the Interior, has already 

 performed preliminary investigations into other 

 potential sources for these materials; further 

 investigations would be needed before actual 

 development 2md production activities could 

 proceed. Such investigations would need to include 

 detailed cost-benefit analyses in order to rank sites 

 on an economic basis. Consideration of exact 

 material needs and availabiUty (e.g., grain size) 

 would also be necessary to assist in determining the 

 feasibility of commercial operations. It is unhkely 

 that Stellwagen Bank would be the most desirable 

 site available. Because of this and the availability of 

 additional sources of sand and gravel, any possible 

 negative socioeconomic consequences of a Sanctuary 

 prohibition are expected to be minimal. 



d. Alteration of. or Construction on. the 

 Seabed 



Constructing, placing, or abandoning on the 

 seabed of the Sanctuary any structure or material; 

 drilling through the seabed of the Sanctuary; or 

 dredging or otherwise altering the seabed of the 

 Sanctuary will be prohibited. This prohibition will 

 not apply if any of the above results from anchoring 

 vessels, commercial fishing, or installation of 

 navigation aids. 



This proposed prohibition will prevent the 

 placement of fixed offshore platforms, or "artificial 

 islands" anywhere within the Sanctuary; and will also 

 prevent any other construction, placement, or 

 abandonment activities anywhere on the Sanctuary's 

 seabed. Included in this prohibition is the 

 placement or use of submerged pipehnes and 

 cables. 



Effects of the construction and operation of the 

 currently-proposed offshore fixed platform include: 

 operation of necessary on-shore support facilities for 

 the platform; increased boat and barge traffic and 

 trips to and from Stellwagen Bank; interaction with 

 commercial and recreational fisheries on the Bank; 

 and potential environmental harm to fishery 



resources and overall Bank ecology. The latter 

 effect would result from: construction activities; 

 volume and composition of discharges; fuel and 

 other spills occurring during transfer operations; 

 accidental loss of debris and litter; noise and light- 

 induced changes in fish behavior; potential 

 environmental harm to threatened and endangered 

 species of cetaceans and marine turtles resulting 

 from noise and vessel traffic; and interaction with 

 whalewatch vessels. The proposed prohibition will 

 preclude the development of this proposed artificial 

 platform anywhere within the Sanctuary; and the 

 environmental consequences of this proposed 

 regulation are anticipated to be beneficial to the 

 entire array of living and non-living resources in the 

 Stellwagen Bank system. 



e. Mariculture Activities 



Constructing, placing, operating, or maintaining 

 any structure relating to any phase of mariculture 

 activities will be subject to Sanctuary regulation. No 

 Sanctuary regulation of this activity is proposed at 

 this time. Therefore, there are no environmental or 

 socioeconomic consequences resulting from the 

 listing of this activity as subject to Sanctuary 

 regulation. 



f. Removing. Taking or Injuring Historical 

 or Cultural Resources 



Moving, possessing, or injuring, or attempting 

 to move, possess, or injure, a Sanctuary historical or 

 cultural resource will be prohibited in the Sanctuary. 

 This prohibition does not apply to accidental 

 moving, possession, or injury occurring during 

 traditional fishing operations. 



This proposed regulation protects any historical 

 or cultural resources which may be located within 

 the Sanctuary. Currently, incomplete information 

 exists on the number, location and condition of tmy 

 historical or cultural resources which may be 

 situated within the Sanctuary; however, the 

 presence of some historical/cultural resources is 

 known. Following fmal Sanctuary designation, 

 efforts will be initiated to inventory 

 historical/cultural resources. Educational and 

 interpretive programs on submerged historical and 

 cultural resources in the Sanctuary will enhance the 

 public's involvement and understanding of the 



