c 



7. 



., ■^i.-h NOAA the COE, and any other 

 EPA would be pleased to work "^,"1^^°! 'di^osal at the MBDS to 

 agency involved with /f«'^g«;^^Jf^^tiould clarify the respective 

 develop a Menorandma °f . ^^^""^"^^^ocean disposal activities and 

 roles of our agencies in 7"="^"^„ding of the issues of concern, 

 form the basis for a mutual understanaing oi 



,^.hivities we recomnend that NOAA 

 With regard to aquaculture ==tivities ^ential affects 



provide additional discussion in the EIS opportunities that 

 of such activities on »^""f„"=°Yd provide to regulate potential 

 a marine sanctuary designation would pro ^^^^ states, an 



impacts. This issue is of =°"=^^ been proposed offshore Cape Ann 

 expensive aquaculture \^'^\^'^iy^\^^^\^^°^ ^o at least one of the 

 by American Norwegian Fish ^ann ' ^J^;;^ in the DEIS. Though EPA is 

 sanctuary boundaries being considered in ^ ^^^^ facility, we 

 reviewing the permit application ^°^^^l^-^\^l^^ quality impacts 

 are authorized to review only ^he potenci ^^^^^^^^g^^, however, 

 of these activities. As the " lated and we perceive that 

 aquaculture operations are not f^^^^ /=? from these operations do 

 o?her non-water-quality-related impacts from ^^^ ^^^.^^_ 



not receive the benefit °f.\""/,f impacts on indigenous fish 

 Potential impacts include biological -^ Jl , ^^e „ith commercial 

 populations as a result of es'=^P^"^"„;i^" "pacts. We thus see an 

 fishing operations; and =°"°:^=°"^"p'^og^a'^ to provide for a more 

 opportunity for the Marine Sanctuary Program F^ operations that 

 comprehensive regulatory °''"=^5ht of aquae ^^^^^^_ 

 would address the full range of environment 



— AA\ tional regulations for 



Tinally, we note that NOAA .P"P°=" "°the DEIS identifies as the 

 commercial fishing .^-^^^X'^'.^^f the many human activities that 

 most economically i^PO^^ant o£ tne i ^^ recommend that 

 directly exploit S^ellwagen Bai^ s reso ^.^^^3 of fishery 

 NOAA include in the Final EIS = 'i^^^"^^^",, ^ the DEIS identifies 

 resources within Stellwagen BanK. "" . commercial fishing 

 numerous fish species that support an ==J^ ^ ^^^^ additional 

 industry along Stellwagen Bank, we 



,-►,= -relative abundance of the fish stocks 

 information detailing ^^^^^^^^^^^^^t regulations have demonstrated 

 over recent years and whether current regu ^^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^^^^ 

 an effectiveness in addressing any «^^=\^°^^ „ould be helpful in 

 l3al"a\=rnrS^:'^cv^"\\"le^?rof"^^^^^^ 

 Based on our review and for the^e_asons^discussed ^above,^^we^have 



rated this project and EIS V"^' -^^j, our national rating 

 insufficient information," m accordance with ^^^^^ ^^^ your 



system. An explanation of this rating 



information. 



sincerely. 



Lncerely, i , /I ^ ^ 



Elizabeth Higgins Cong^ram, Assistant Director 



6. The discussion of mariculture 

 activities has been expanded (see PART 

 TWO, Section II.C.ll., and PART THREE, 

 Section II. C. 5.). NOAA proposes to list 

 this activity as "subject to Sanctuary 

 regulation. " 



7 NOAA has expanded the discussion of 

 fishing activities to include the status 

 of fisheries. See PART TWO, Section 

 II C.l. See also generic response N. 



Office of Environmental Review 



United States Department of the Interior 



OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

 WASHINGTON, DC. 20240 



in Reply Refer To: 

 ER 91/164 



APR 29 



National Ocean Service/NOAA 



1825 Connecticut Avenue, H.W., Suite 



Washington, D.C. 20235 



Dear Mr. Dravitch: 



The Department of the Inferior has reviewed the Draft ^^^ 



^n^ir^^ental I^P-^^f^tio'narMlrTne sinctuiry (NMS) : «« 

 proposed stellwagen Bank National Mar consideration; 



!^f:Il^rc^^^nts"Lrin"ie:dTn"the^nc^osure. 



The Draft EIS characterizes the ma^orMological^and^physical 



resources and human "^^^^^^^^^.'tnfo^ation as presented 

 sanctuary area, generally, the inror^ natural resources and 

 substantiates that "ellwagen Bank conta^ ^^^ ^^^^^ Stellwagen 

 associated human uses that are of sign candidate for 

 Bank is nationally recognized and is a sui 

 designation as a marine sanctuary. 



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