Regulatory Factors 



Service bases are likely to be located in existing harbor facilities 

 where state and local certifications or permits may not be required or, 

 if required, are straightforward. Creation of a new harbor facility, 

 however, will entail the process of state and local approvals. Because 

 service bases nearly always require channel modification or maintenance, 

 Federal dredge and fill permits are an important consideration in site selection. 



Federal Role : The Corps of Engineers issues dredge and fill permits 

 under the authority of Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, 

 Section 404 of the Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, and 

 regulations that they issued July 25, 1975, in Volume 40 of the Federal 

 Register, pages 31320 et seq. The Fish and Wildlife Service must be 

 consulted before the permit is issued. In addition to commenting on 

 technical questions related to wildlife and habitat conservation, FWS 

 recommends mitigation measures. The District Engineer issues the permit 

 unless timely objections are filed by interested parties, including the 

 FWS. If substantial objections are filed the decision is referred to the 

 Division Engineer. If the FWS maintains its objection, the decision to 

 issue the permit must be made in Washington by the Secretary of the Army 

 after consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service through the 

 Secretary of the Interior. Fish and Wildlife Procedures are set forth 

 in the Navigable Waters Handbook of the Service. 



Development Strategy 



The oil or drilling company's (and suppliers') strategy for 

 selecting a location for a support base centers on finding an adequate 

 site which can be rapidly developed when needed to support offshore 

 operations. The background investigations to determine a specific 

 strategy in a frontier area are initiated by a port survey. After the 

 survey is completed and analyzed, the variables considered for 

 selecting the initial, temporary site might include available facilities, 

 community attitudes, costs , long-term development potential, and the site 

 requirements discussed earlier in this section. 



If any developed ports lie within approximately 200 miles of an 

 offshore field, it is unlikely that an undeveloped harbor would be 

 considered. Delays caused by required waterfront and harbor site 

 preparation in an undeveloped area will be bypassed. Delaying factors 

 to be avoided may include procedural requirements, site preparation 

 requirements, or land availability. The two pressures causing a company 

 to select an undeveloped area over developed alternatives are: (1) the 

 undeveloped harbor is significantly closer to the field, (2) or the 

 political posture of the community at the developed harbor (as expressed 

 through zoning ordinances, land use plans, and policies, etc.) is negative 

 to the proposed development. 



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