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Environmental Quality Engineering (DEQE) , Army Corps of Engineers, 

 Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) , and the State 

 Coastal Zone Management (CZM) . Most state regulations concernining 

 coastal impacts are included in the state Wetland Regulations, (310 CMR 

 10.00) . 



In these regulations, eelgrass beds may enjoy protection under the 

 law as "land under salt ponds" (10.33) where no project may affect 

 "productivity of plants, and water quality". In "land containing 

 shellfish" (10.34), and "land under the ocean" (10.25), there are broad 

 guidelines protecting "water circulation", "water quality", and "marine 

 productivity". Section 10.26 specifically states: "projects shall be 

 designed and constructed, using best available measures so as to 

 minimize adverse effects on marine fisheries caused by .... b) 

 destruction of eelgrass {Zostera marina) beds". Thus, while destroying 

 eelgrass beds is not prohibited, damage should be minimized. 



In practice, coastal projects often do not go beyond the local 

 conservation commissions. If they do, most decisions are managed by 

 DEQE at the state level, but other state agencies (e.g. MEPA) may also 

 be involved. In addition, CZM provides an advisory role at all levels 

 of the decision making process and checks for consistency in local and 

 federal regulations. Curiously, CZM policy guidelines (301 CMR 20.00) 

 do not specifically include eelgrass beds as valuable underwater 

 habitat, but in practice, this organization is interested in protecting 

 eelgrass communities. 



Large construction projects frequently must be approved by the US 

 Army Corps of Engineers which considers eelgrass beds in there 



