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Scientific Review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit (2012) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
Pages 7-12

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From page 7...
... does not include Estero de Limantour, but encompasses the four remaining bays and most of the main body of the Estero.6 Drakes Estero is well mixed vertically with a mean depth of ~6.5 ft and a tidal range of ~6 ft.7 Tidal pumping is the dominant physical forcing mechanism most of the time, except for events that change coastal water levels such as a storm surge or tsunami. With the exception of major rainfall events (which occur most frequently during winter)
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From page 8...
... .11 The current RUO and SUP will expire by law on November 30, 2012,12 thereby terminating DBOC operations in Drakes Estero. The removal of this sole nonconforming activity would result in conversion of Drakes Estero from congressionally designated potential wilderness to congressionally designated wilderness, becoming one of eleven marine wilderness areas in the U.S.
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From page 9...
... Shellfish production is limited to 850,000 lbs/yr; total acreage of the SUP area, including both onshore and offshore areas, would be ~1,087 acres; Pacific, Olympia and European flat oysters, Manila clams, and purple-hinged rock scallops may be grown in Area 1 (1,082 acres; Area 2 would no longer be managed as a separate permitted area) ; new lease boundaries will exclude harbor seal protected areas with a 100 yard buffer; boat routes, to be approved by NPS, will avoid seal protected areas and minimize prop damage to eelgrass beds.
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From page 10...
... The committee was asked not to perform an independent evaluation of the environmental impacts of the proposed alternatives, but will restrict its findings to the strength of the scientific arguments in the DEIS and identify concerns, if any, not covered in the Atkins peer review. The DEIS identifies and evaluates eleven (11)
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From page 11...
... Organizations and members of the public were also encouraged to submit information for the committee's consideration in writing. These documents are part of the public record for this study, available through the National Academies' Public Access Records Office,14 and posted on the internet.15 The committee's evaluation of eight of the DEIS resource categories (wetlands, eelgrass, wildlife and wildlife habitat, special-status species, coastal flood zones, soundscapes, water quality, and socioeconomic resources)
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Key Terms

  • seal protected
  • drakes bay
  • harbor seal
  • reyes national
  • national seashore

  • impact statement
  • dboc operations
  • eelgrass beds
  • rock scallops
  • national environmental

  • environmental policy
  • draft environmental
  • avoid seal
  • shellfish production
  • bay oyster

  • european flat
  • oyster company
  • manila clams
  • yard buffer
  • flat oysters

  • total acreage
  • policy act
  • boat routes
  • lease boundaries
  • scientific evidence

  • national park
  • exclude harbor
  • shellfish farming
  • coastal flood
  • atkins peer


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