Stellwagen Bank FEIS/MP Appendices 



Page G3 



I. INTRODUCTION 



Appendix G to the Final Environmental Impact 

 Statement/Management Plan document (FZIS/MP) 

 for the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary 

 provides a summary of comments received on the 

 Draft Environmental Impact Statement/ 

 Management Plan document (DEIS/MP), and 

 NOAA's responses to those comments. 



The 60-day public comment period on the 

 DEIS/MP extended from February 8 to April 9, 

 1991. During that period, over 860 wTitten 

 comments were received by NOAA. Additionally, 

 at five public hearings held by NOAA (March 11- 

 18, 1991), 65 persons testified on the proposed 

 Sanctuary. Finally, petitions including approximately 

 22,850 names were submitted to NOAA in support 

 of Sanctuary designation. 



These comments provided significant contributions 

 to NOAA's development of policies regarding the 

 proposed Sanctuary. Appendix G identifies issues 

 raised by commenters, and presents NOAA's 

 position on various activities involving the proposed 

 Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 



Issues which were raised by a large number of 

 commenters, or which involved policy/management 

 determinations are separately identified in the Table 

 of Contents. Responses to other, individual 

 comments have either been incorporated into FEIS 

 text where appropriate, or are responded to 

 individually in Appendbc G, under heading "III. 

 Individual NOAA Responses." 



II. ISSUES RAISED IN RESPONSE TO 

 DEIS/MP 



A. SANCTUARY DESIGNATION 



No Designation Action Should Be Taken By NOAA. 



A few commenters opposed any national marine 

 sanctuary designation of Stellwagen Bank by 

 NOAA. Generally, these commenters believe 

 Sanctuary designation would create an additional 

 layer of Federal authority and regulation over 

 existing authorities affecting a variety of activities, 

 involving both living and non-living resources of the 



Stellwagen Bank system. The commenters do not 

 believe NOAA has provided an adequate 

 justification for the need for additional managemeni 

 and/or regulation of the Stellwagen Bank area. 



One commenter, the East Coast Tuna Association, 

 recommended that Federal funds available for a 

 Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary should 

 be used instead to supplement planning and 

 enforcement capabilities of existing authorities. 

 (presumably such as those of the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service and the New England Fishery 

 Management Council). The same commenter 

 stated that Sanctuary designation would provide 

 some organizations with a "menacing regulator*' 

 vehicle." 



NOAA Response : Section 2202(a) of the 

 NMSPAA, designated the Stellwagen Bank National 

 Marine Sanctuary. Designation of this area as a 

 national marine sanctuary docs not duplicate 

 existing regulatory authorities; rather it enhances. 

 those authorities. Designation of an ocean area a"^ 

 a national marine sanctuary recognizes the national 

 significance of special marine systems, and provides 

 for comprehensive and coordinated conservation 

 and management of that system, to ensure the long- 

 term viabiUty of Sanctuary resources for compatible 

 multiple use. A necessary component of such 

 management is the regulatory authority to address 

 comprehensive resource protection from an 

 ecosystem perspective. 



In its consideration of the Stellwagen Bank 

 designation proposal, NOAA identified threats to 

 the Bank environment for which there currently is 

 either insufficient protection or no protection. For 

 example, designation of this area as a national 

 marine sanctuary and implementing regulations will 

 protect the habitats and ecosystem upon which 

 species rely, without interfering with other 

 regulatory regimes. A primary intent of a national 

 marine sanctuary designation is to fill such existing 

 regulatory gaps, and to enhance the existing 

 regulatory authorities of other agencies. 



NOAA does not agree, therefore, that de.signaiion 

 of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary 

 is unwarranted. 



