MINIMIZING DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS ON COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCES IN U.S. CARIBBEAN

摘要

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in cooperation with partners in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) developed a guide for those contemplating the construction of projects that could result in impacts to coastal and marine resources. The contents of the guide were determined through stakeholder surveys conducted during workshops with presenters from federal and Commonwealth or Territorial regulatory and natural resource agencies. The guide is meant to assist the reader in planning projects, seeking permits for projects, and implementing projects in order to comply with local and federal regulations. The guide is also meant to clarify differences between federal and local permit processes, as well as point out overlap and identify projects requiring both federal and USVI or Puerto Rico permits. The guide provides a brief overview of the permit process for common types of projects, including the consultation process with natural resource agencies, focusing on appropriate project design to avoid and minimize impacts to coastal and marine resources such as streams, rivers, ghuts, wetlands, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. The workshops and production of the guide represent the first time the Commonwealth, Territory, and federal permit processes have been summarized in a single document, as well as the first time all permitting agencies have collaborated to educate stakeholders regarding the permit process and development practices that can be incorporated in different types of projects in order to avoid and minimize impacts (both direct and indirect) of development on important natural resources of Puerto Rico and USVI.