A Process for Setting, Managing, and Monitoring Environmental Windows for Dredging Projects Special Report 262 (2002) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 38-78
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From page 38... ...
Today, dredging projects and the direct economic benefits they provide may be foregone in favor of the establishment of environmental regulations 1The precautionary principle, as stated in Principle 15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, is as follows: "[T] o protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities.
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From page 39... ...
, presented by Katherine Wellman, Battelle Seattle Research Center, describes a structured decision approach that can be used to provide improved public involvement in and input to the decisionmaking process on environmental windows. This approach goes beyond the goals of conventional public participation and economic analysis processes, focusing on providing insights to decision makers about the proportions of community members that would support or oppose specific actions.
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From page 40... ...
If the proportion of the total population at early life stages threatened by dredg ing were known, population models could incorporate dredging mortality and be used to estimate the equivalent fishing mortality. O'Connor suggested that this would allow comparisons with other activities for which the economics are known and would enable assessment of the overall importance of losses asso ciated with dredging projects.
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From page 41... ...
Research is therefore needed to develop methodologies acceptable to resource managers, dredging project sponsors, and stakeholder groups that would help guide regulatory decision makers. Successful application of such methodologies generally depends on good input information.
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From page 42... ...
Interagency co ordination on windows occurred through the National Environmental Policy Act process, the permit coordination process, Coastal Zone Management Act consis tency determinations, and water quality certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. More recently, USACE initiated annual interagency meetings at which projects are discussed 23 years before dredging is scheduled.
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From page 43... ...
The fourth presenter, Therese Conant, Fishery Biologist, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, described the process of developing windows to protect threatened and endangered sea turtles in the southeastern United States. The major tool used was a regional biological opinion developed through both informal and formal consultation under the Endangered Species Act.
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From page 44... ...
Concern was also expressed about having consistent regulatory policies for both USACE funded and privately funded dredging projects. Finally, the group discussion focused on the draft template prepared by the steering committee.
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From page 45... ...
He noted the potential for impacts from dredging projects to interfere with the critical life stages of blue crabs. In the winter, adult crabs bury themselves in the sediments of the lower estuary and may be subject to physical impacts from dredging.
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From page 46... ...
. Major points made in the ensuing open floor discussion are summarized below: · Although participants believe there have been some examples of effective and successful environmental windows for dredging projects, many observed that it is impossible to demonstrate direct causation between a specific dredg ing and disposal operation and the long-term health of a particular species or natural system.
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From page 47... ...
During the afternoon session, rather than using a panel of presenters, session chair Robert Diaz, Professor of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, began with an overview and summarized meta-analysis of the scientific literature on windows. He discussed models that can be used as tools for evaluating various impacts of dredging projects, including such models as FISHFATE, SSFATE, and STFATE, which can be used to estimate the impacts of suspended sediments from dredging projects on fish populations.
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From page 48... ...
Therefore, it becomes exceed ingly difficult to separate spatial and temporal considerations within an estuary when setting environmental windows for dredging projects. In general, the scale of threat to a species should be the key consideration when selecting the most appropriate management tool.
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From page 49... ...
have invented new or modified existing technologies to make dredging more environmentally acceptable. This session focused on identifying technology advances that could be used in navigational dredging projects, as well as associated research needs.
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From page 50... ...
are effective only in quiescent waters. The second panelist, Daniel Averett, Chief, Environmental Engineering Branch, Environmental Laboratory, USACE Research and Development Center, noted that there have been several improvements in dredging equipment.
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· It is difficult to measure the specific environmental advantages of a given technology. In Europe, there is cooperation between industry and regulators in generating quantitative data from actual dredging projects for such applications.
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From page 52... ...
Consistency Conformance with applicable federal guidelines or regulations. Consultation (Endangered Species Act context)
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From page 53... ...
of this section. In fulfilling the requirements of this paragraph, each agency shall use the best scientific and commercial data available." Critical habitat Under the Endangered Species Act, "critical habitat" for a threatened or endangered species means "(i)
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Keystone species See indicator species. Listed species A species included on the list of "threatened or endangered species" established by the Endangered Species Act.
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From page 55... ...
Species (Endangered Species Act context) Defined as "any species, any subspecies of fish or wildlife or plants, and any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate fish or wildlife that interbreeds when mature." Spoil displacement Removing dredged materials to another location.
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From page 56... ...
Take According to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, to "harass, hunt, capture, or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal." The 1994 amendments to the act define "harass" as "any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance that has the potential to: Injure a marine mammal or marine mam mal stock in the wild (Level A) ; or Disturb a marine mammal or marine mam mal stock in the wild by disrupting behavioral patterns (for example, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering)
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From page 57... ...
Reed 09000915 Strategy for the Workshop and Charge to the Participants Jerry Schubel 09150930 Break 09301200 Concurrent Sessions Session 1: Dredging Equipment and Technology The goal of this session was to identify methods for improving existing dredging techniques and technology to result in lesser impacts to the marine environment, thereby reducing the need for seasonal restrictions. During the course of years, several dredge manufacturers (both in the United States and abroad)
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From page 58... ...
14001630 Concurrent Sessions Session 1: Tools for a Successful Administrative Process This session focused on tools for coordinating agency involve ment in the process of establishing environmental windows. Panelists from the National Marine Fisheries Service, USACE, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Re sources, and the ports presented tools that have been used to co ordinate agency involvement in setting dredging windows.
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From page 59... ...
Following the reports, a panel comprised of representatives from USACE, EPA, NOAA, and a state environmental agency were asked to comment on the results. Tuesday, March 20 08000900 Plenary Session A strawman model framework for setting environmental windows was presented.
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From page 60... ...
Bigford Chief, Environmental Engineering Habitat Conservation Branch, Environmental Laboratory NOAA Fisheries Waterways Experiment Station 1315 East-West Highway, F/HC2 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Silver Spring, MD 20910 Research and Development Center 301/713-2325 3909 Halls Ferry Road 301/713-1043 (fax)
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From page 61... ...
Army Engineer Research & England Development Center 01491 822348 3909 Halls Ferry Road 01491 832233 (fax) Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199 nev@hrwallingford.co.uk 601/634-3770 clarked@wes.army.mil Joedy Cambridge Senior Program Officer Therese Conant Technical Activities Division National Oceanographic and Transportation Research Board Atmospheric Administration 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW NMFS HQTR Route: F/PR3 Washington, DC 20418 1315 East-West Highway 202/334-2167 Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282 202/334-2030 (fax)
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From page 62... ...
Ellis III Engineering Environmental Review University of Illinois at Coordinator UrbanaChampaign Virginia Dept. of Environmental 205 North Mathews Avenue Quality Urbana, IL 61801 629 East Main Street 217/244-4484 Richmond, VA 23219 217/333-0687 (fax)
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From page 63... ...
Hart University of Rhode Island Environmental Coordinator 319 Lippitt Hall Navigation Kingston, RI 02881-0814 Seattle District 401/874-4572 Army Corps of Engineers 401/782-4766 (fax)
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From page 64... ...
Holland Environmental Program Project Assistant Administrator Studies and Information Services Division of Soil and Water Transportation Research Board Conservation 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Dept. of Natural Resources & GR322D Environmental Control Washington, DC 20418 89 Kings Highway 202/334-2332 Dover, DE 19901 202/334-2527 (fax)
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From page 65... ...
Regional Manager, Water Resources klinderman@ Foster Wheeler Environmental environmentaldefense.org Corporation 133 Federal Street, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02110 617/457-8239 617/457-8498 (fax) wmuellenhoff@fwenc.com
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From page 66... ...
O'Connor jimo@uri.edu National Status and Trends NOAA, N/SC11 Brian Pawlak 1315 East-West Highway Marine Habitat Specialist Silver Spring, MD 20910 NOAA Fisheries 301/713-3028 1315 East-West Highway, SSMC 3 tom.oconnor@noaa.gov Silver Spring, MD 20910 301/713-2325 Edward O'Donnell 301/713-1043 (fax)
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From page 67... ...
U.S. EPA djreed@uno.edu 401 M Street, SW Mail Code 4504F Susan Roberts Washington, DC 20460 Program Officer 202/260-1952 Ocean Studies Board National Research Council Carrie Selberg 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries HA470 Commission Washington, DC 20418 1444 Eye Street, NW, 6th Floor 202/334-1729 Washington, DC 20005 202/334-2885 (fax)
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National Marine Fisheries Service sthorp@glc.org U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA Jeff C
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From page 69... ...
Veraldi Katharine F Wellman Fish Biologist Battelle Seattle Research Center Chicago District Planning Branch 4500 San Point Way, NE USACE Seattle, WA 98105 111 North Canal Street 206/284-2413 Chicago, IL 60606-7206 206/528-3552 (fax)
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From page 70... ...
Wisker Environmental Program Manager I Environmental Analyst Division of Soil and Water Office of Long Island Sound Conservation Programs Dept. of Natural Resources & CT CEP Environmental Control 79 Elm Street 89 Kings Highway Hartford, CT 06106-5127 Dover, DE 19901 860/424-3034 302/739-4411 860/424-4054 (fax)
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From page 71... ...
APPENDIX D Environmental Windows Workshop Dredging Project Case Study Data Form Dredging Project District Office Name of District Office: Name of Contact Person(s) & Telephone #/Email Address: Dredging Project Description Name & Location of Project: Project Authorization Date: Project Construction Dates: Project Volume:
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From page 72... ...
were identi fied as the primary concerns in requesting windows as protective measures?
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PLEASE SUBMIT INFORMATION BY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2001 TO: Kris Hoellen Senior Program Officer Transportation Research Board (GR-346I) 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20418
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Please complete this brief questionnaire and give it to Jerry Schubel or Kris Hoellen BEFORE leaving the conference. Thanks for your help!
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3. If you could change two things about the dredging windows process, what would they be?
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____ Yes ____ No 9. In your opinion, was the interagency cooperation in setting, administering, and monitoring environmental windows ___ Poor ___ Fair ___ Good ___ Excellent?
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From page 77... ...
Please complete this brief questionnaire and return it to Jerry Schubel at the New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110 (fax 617/973-0276) , or leave it in the box at the back of the room.
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From page 78... ...
____ Yes ____ No 9. In your opinion, was the interagency cooperation in setting, administering, and monitoring environmental windows ___ Poor ___ Fair ___ Good ___ Excellent?
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