%0 Book %A National Research Council %T Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest %@ 978-0-309-05325-9 %D 1996 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4976/upstream-salmon-and-society-in-the-pacific-northwest %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4976/upstream-salmon-and-society-in-the-pacific-northwest %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Agriculture %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 472 %X The importance of salmon to the Pacific Northwest—economic, recreational, symbolic—is enormous. Generations ago, salmon were abundant from central California through Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to British Columbia and Alaska. Now they have disappeared from about 40 percent of their historical range. The decline in salmon numbers has been lamented for at least 100 years, but the issue has become more widespread and acute recently. The Endangered Species Act has been invoked, federal laws have been passed, and lawsuits have been filed. More than $1 billion has been spent to improve salmon runs—and still the populations decline. In this new volume a committee with diverse expertise explores the complications and conflicts surrounding the salmon problem—starting with available data on the status of salmon populations and an illustrative case study from Washington state's Willapa Bay. The book offers specific recommendations for salmon rehabilitation that take into account the key role played by genetic variability in salmon survival and the urgent need for habitat protection and management of fishing. The committee presents a comprehensive discussion of the salmon problem, with a wealth of informative graphs and charts and the right amount of historical perspective to clarify today's issues, including: Salmon biology and geography—their life's journey from fresh waters to the sea and back again to spawn, and their interaction with ecosystems along the way. The impacts of human activities—grazing, damming, timber, agriculture, and population and economic growth. Included is a case study of Washington state's Elwha River dam removal project. Values, attitudes, and the conflicting desires for short-term economic gain and long-term environmental health. The committee traces the roots of the salmon problem to the extractive philosophy characterizing management of land and water in the West. The impact of hatcheries, which were introduced to build fish stocks but which have actually harmed the genetic variability that wild stocks need to survive. This book offers something for everyone with an interest in the salmon issue—policymakers and regulators in the United States and Canada; environmental scientists; environmental advocates; natural resource managers; commercial, tribal, and recreational fishers; and concerned residents of the Pacific Northwest. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington: Past, Present, and Future %@ 978-0-309-25594-3 %D 2012 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13389/sea-level-rise-for-the-coasts-of-california-oregon-and-washington %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13389/sea-level-rise-for-the-coasts-of-california-oregon-and-washington %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Earth Sciences %P 216 %X Tide gauges show that global sea level has risen about 7 inches during the 20th century, and recent satellite data show that the rate of sea-level rise is accelerating. As Earth warms, sea levels are rising mainly because ocean water expands as it warms; and water from melting glaciers and ice sheets is flowing into the ocean. Sea-level rise poses enormous risks to the valuable infrastructure, development, and wetlands that line much of the 1,600 mile shoreline of California, Oregon, and Washington. As those states seek to incorporate projections of sea-level rise into coastal planning, they asked the National Research Council to make independent projections of sea-level rise along their coasts for the years 2030, 2050, and 2100, taking into account regional factors that affect sea level. Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington: Past, Present, and Future explains that sea level along the U.S. west coast is affected by a number of factors. These include: climate patterns such as the El Nino, effects from the melting of modern and ancient ice sheets, and geologic processes, such as plate tectonics. Regional projections for California, Oregon, and Washington show a sharp distinction at Cape Mendocino in northern California. South of that point, sea-level rise is expected to be very close to global projections. However, projections are lower north of Cape Mendocino because the land is being pushed upward as the ocean plate moves under the continental plate along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. However, an earthquake magnitude 8 or larger, which occurs in the region every few hundred to 1,000 years, would cause the land to drop and sea level to suddenly rise. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Mount Rainier: Active Cascade Volcano %@ 978-0-309-05083-8 %D 1994 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4546/mount-rainier-active-cascade-volcano %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4546/mount-rainier-active-cascade-volcano %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 128 %X This volume develops a research plan to study and monitor Mount Rainier, an active Cascade volcano located about 35 km southeast of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. The book also addresses issues of communication and coordination among geoscientists, social scientists, planners, and responsible authorities, so that research results can be used to support hazard reduction efforts. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Animals as Sentinels of Environmental Health Hazards %@ 978-0-309-04046-4 %D 1991 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1351/animals-as-sentinels-of-environmental-health-hazards %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1351/animals-as-sentinels-of-environmental-health-hazards %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 176 %X Studying animals in the environment may be a realistic and highly beneficial approach to identifying unknown chemical contaminants before they cause human harm. Animals as Sentinels of Environmental Health Hazards presents an overview of animal-monitoring programs, including detailed case studies of how animal health problems—such as the effects of DDT on wild bird populations—have led researchers to the sources of human health hazards. The authors examine the components and characteristics required for an effective animal-monitoring program, and they evaluate numerous existing programs, including in situ research, where an animal is placed in a natural setting for monitoring purposes. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Nonnative Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay %@ 978-0-309-09052-0 %D 2004 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10796/nonnative-oysters-in-the-chesapeake-bay %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10796/nonnative-oysters-in-the-chesapeake-bay %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 344 %X Nonnative Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay discusses the proposed plan to offset the dramatic decline in the bay's native oysters by introducing disease-resistant reproductive Suminoe oysters from Asia. It suggests this move should be delayed until more is known about the environmental risks, even though carefully regulated cultivation of sterile Asian oysters in contained areas could help the local industry and researchers. It is also noted that even though these oysters eat the excess algae caused by pollution, it could take decades before there are enough of them to improve water quality. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Perspectives on Biodiversity: Valuing Its Role in an Everchanging World %@ 978-0-309-06581-8 %D 1999 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9589/perspectives-on-biodiversity-valuing-its-role-in-an-everchanging-world %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9589/perspectives-on-biodiversity-valuing-its-role-in-an-everchanging-world %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 168 %X Resource-management decisions, especially in the area of protecting and maintaining biodiversity, are usually incremental, limited in time by the ability to forecast conditions and human needs, and the result of tradeoffs between conservation and other management goals. The individual decisions may not have a major effect but can have a cumulative major effect. Perspectives on Biodiversity reviews current understanding of the value of biodiversity and the methods that are useful in assessing that value in particular circumstances. It recommends and details a list of components—including diversity of species, genetic variability within and among species, distribution of species across the ecosystem, the aesthetic satisfaction derived from diversity, and the duty to preserve and protect biodiversity. The book also recommends that more information about the role of biodiversity in sustaining natural resources be gathered and summarized in ways useful to managers. Acknowledging that decisions about biodiversity are necessarily qualitative and change over time because of the nonmarket nature of so many of the values, the committee recommends periodic reviews of management decisions. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Sediment Dredging at Superfund Megasites: Assessing the Effectiveness %@ 978-0-309-10977-2 %D 2007 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11968/sediment-dredging-at-superfund-megasites-assessing-the-effectiveness %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11968/sediment-dredging-at-superfund-megasites-assessing-the-effectiveness %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Earth Sciences %P 316 %X Some of the nation's estuaries, lakes and other water bodies contain contaminated sediments that can adversely affect fish and wildlife and may then find their way into people's diets. Dredging is one of the few options available for attempting to clean up contaminated sediments, but it can uncover and re-suspend buried contaminants, creating additional exposures for wildlife and people. At the request of Congress, EPA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to evaluate dredging as a cleanup technique. The book finds that, based on a review of available evidence, dredging's ability to decrease environmental and health risks is still an open question. Analysis of pre-dredging and post-dredging at about 20 sites found a wide range of outcomes in terms of surface sediment concentrations of contaminants: some sites showed increases, some no change, and some decreases in concentrations. Evaluating the potential long-term benefits of dredging will require that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency step up monitoring activities before, during and after individual cleanups to determine whether it is working there and what combinations of techniques are most effective. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Drinking Water and Health,: Volume 5 %@ 978-0-309-03381-7 %D 1983 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/326/drinking-water-and-health-volume-5 %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/326/drinking-water-and-health-volume-5 %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Health and Medicine %P 157 %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Managing Wastewater in Coastal Urban Areas %@ 978-0-309-04826-2 %D 1993 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/2049/managing-wastewater-in-coastal-urban-areas %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/2049/managing-wastewater-in-coastal-urban-areas %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 496 %X Close to one-half of all Americans live in coastal counties. The resulting flood of wastewater, stormwater, and pollutants discharged into coastal waters is a major concern. This book offers a well-delineated approach to integrated coastal management beginning with wastewater and stormwater control. The committee presents an overview of current management practices and problems. The core of the volume is a detailed model for integrated coastal management, offering basic principles and methods, a direction for moving from general concerns to day-to-day activities, specific steps from goal setting through monitoring performance, and a base of scientific and technical information. Success stories from the Chesapeake and Santa Monica bays are included. The volume discusses potential barriers to integrated coastal management and how they may be overcome and suggests steps for introducing this concept into current programs and legislation. This practical volume will be important to anyone concerned about management of coastal waters: policymakers, resource and municipal managers, environmental professionals, concerned community groups, and researchers, as well as faculty and students in environmental studies. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T A Century of Ecosystem Science: Planning Long-Term Research in the Gulf of Alaska %@ 978-0-309-08473-4 %D 2002 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10469/a-century-of-ecosystem-science-planning-long-term-research-in %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10469/a-century-of-ecosystem-science-planning-long-term-research-in %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Earth Sciences %P 108 %X This report provides guidance to the Gulf Ecosystem Monitoring (GEM) program to help ensure that it is based on a a science plan that is robust, far-reaching, and scientifically sound. The report commends the Trustee Council for its foresight in setting aside funds to create a trust fund to provide long-term research support; it notes that the GEM program offers an unparalleled opportunity to increase understanding of how large marine ecosystems function and change over time. The report outlines elements of a sound long-term science plan, including conceptual foundation, scope and geographic focus, organizational structure, community involvement, data and information management, and synthesis, modeling, and evaluation. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Science for Decisionmaking: Coastal and Marine Geology at the U.S. Geological Survey %@ 978-0-309-06584-9 %D 1999 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9665/science-for-decisionmaking-coastal-and-marine-geology-at-the-us %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9665/science-for-decisionmaking-coastal-and-marine-geology-at-the-us %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 124 %X The coastlines of the United States are beautiful places to live, work and play. But, they are also very fragile areas whose ecosystems are vulnerable to mismanagement. There are many complex issues facing the ocean science community at the federal, state and local levels—this report reflects the conclusions and recommendations of the National Academies drawing on discussions with USGS as well as input from potential users, clients and collaborators of the Coastal and Marine Geology Program. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Assessing the Relationship Between Propagule Pressure and Invasion Risk in Ballast Water %@ 978-0-309-21562-6 %D 2011 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13184/assessing-the-relationship-between-propagule-pressure-and-invasion-risk-in-ballast-water %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13184/assessing-the-relationship-between-propagule-pressure-and-invasion-risk-in-ballast-water %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 156 %X The human-mediated introduction of species to regions of the world they could never reach by natural means has had great impacts on the environment, the economy, and society. In the ocean, these invasions have long been mediated by the uptake and subsequent release of ballast water in ocean-going vessels. Increasing world trade and a concomitantly growing global shipping fleet composed of larger and faster vessels, combined with a series of prominent ballast-mediated invasions over the past two decades, have prompted active national and international interest in ballast water management. Assessing the Relationship Between Propagule Pressure and Invasion Risk in Ballast Water informs the regulation of ballast water by helping the Environnmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) better understand the relationship between the concentration of living organisms in ballast water discharges and the probability of nonindigenous organisms successfully establishing populations in U.S. waters. The report evaluates the risk-release relationship in the context of differing environmental and ecological conditions,including estuarine and freshwater systems as well as the waters of the three-mile territorial sea. It recommends how various approaches can be used by regulatory agencies to best inform risk management decisions on the allowable concentrations of living organisms in discharged ballast water in order to safeguard against the establishment of new aquatic nonindigenous species, and to protect and preserve existing indigenous populations of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and other beneficial uses of the nation's waters. Assessing the Relationship Between Propagule Pressure and Invasion Risk in Ballast Water provides valuable information that can be used by federal agencies, such as the EPA, policy makers, environmental scientists, and researchers. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Review of Recreational Fisheries Survey Methods %@ 978-0-309-10193-6 %D 2006 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11616/review-of-recreational-fisheries-survey-methods %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11616/review-of-recreational-fisheries-survey-methods %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Agriculture %K Earth Sciences %P 202 %X Recreational fishing in the United States is an important social and economic component of many marine fisheries, with an estimated 14 million anglers making almost 82 million fishing trips in 2004. Although each individual angler typically harvests a small number of fish, collectively these sport fisheries can take a significant fraction of the yearly catch—in some cases more than commercial fisheries. For example, in 1999, recreational fishing accounted for 94% of the total catch of spotted sea trout, 76% of striped bass and sheephead, and 60 percent of king mackerel. It is important that systems used to monitor fishing catch are adequate for timely management of recreational fisheries. However, the large number of anglers and access points makes monitoring recreational fishing much more difficult than monitoring commercial fishing. This report reviews the types of survey methods used to estimate catch in recreational fisheries, including state/federal cooperative programs. The report finds that both telephone survey and onsite access components of the current monitoring systems have serious flaws in design or implementation. There are also several areas of miscommunication and mismatched criteria among designers of surveys, data collectors, and recreational fisheries. The report recommends that a comprehensive, universal sampling frame with national coverage should be established, and that improvements should be made in statistical analysis of the data collected and in the ways the data are communicated. A permanent and independent research group should be established and funded to evaluate the statistical design and adequacy of recreational fishery surveys and to guide necessary modifications or new initiatives. %0 Book %T Nuclear Forensics: A Capability at Risk (Abbreviated Version) %@ 978-0-309-15911-1 %D 2010 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12966/nuclear-forensics-a-capability-at-risk-abbreviated-version %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12966/nuclear-forensics-a-capability-at-risk-abbreviated-version %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Conflict and Security Issues %P 31 %X Nuclear forensics is important to our national security. Actions, including provision of appropriate funding, are needed now to sustain and improve the nation's nuclear forensics capabilities. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with cooperating agencies and national laboratories, should plan and implement a sustainable, effective nuclear forensics program. Nuclear forensics is the examination and evaluation of discovered or seized nuclear materials and devices or, in cases of nuclear explosions or radiological dispersals, of detonation signals and post-detonation debris. Nuclear forensic evidence helps law enforcement and intelligence agencies work toward preventing, mitigating, and attributing a nuclear or radiological incident. This report, requested by DHS, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Department of Defense, makes recommendations on how to sustain and improve U.S. nuclear forensics capabilities. The United States has developed a nuclear forensics capability that has been demonstrated in real-world incidents of interdicted materials and in exercises of actions required after a nuclear detonation. The committee, however, has concerns about the program and finds that without strong leadership, careful planning, and additional funds, these capabilities will decline. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Tackling Marine Debris in the 21st Century %@ 978-0-309-12697-7 %D 2009 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12486/tackling-marine-debris-in-the-21st-century %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12486/tackling-marine-debris-in-the-21st-century %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 218 %X Marine debris from ships and other ocean-based sources-including trash and lost fishing gear-contributes to the spoiling of beaches, fouling of surface waters and the seafloor, and harm to marine animals, among other effects. Unfortunately, international conventions and domestic laws intended to control marine debris have not been successful, in part because the laws, as written, provide little incentive to change behavior. This book identifies ways to reduce waste, improve waste disposal at ports, and strengthen the regulatory framework toward a goal of zero waste discharge into the marine environment. Progress will depend on a commitment to sustained funding and appropriate institutional support. The Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee should, through planning and prioritization, target research to understand the sources, fates, and impacts of marine debris. It should support the establishment of scalable and statistically rigorous protocols that allow monitoring at a variety of temporal and spatial scales. These protocols should contain evaluative metrics that allow assessment of progress in marine debris mitigation. The United States, through leadership in the international arena, should provide technical assistance and support for the establishment of additional monitoring and research programs worldwide. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead %@ 978-0-309-26489-1 %D 2012 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13510/science-for-environmental-protection-the-road-ahead %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13510/science-for-environmental-protection-the-road-ahead %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Policy for Science and Technology %K Earth Sciences %P 250 %X In anticipation of future environmental science and engineering challenges and technologic advances, EPA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the overall capabilities of the agency to develop, obtain, and use the best available scientific and technologic information and tools to meet persistent, emerging, and future mission challenges and opportunities. Although the committee cannot predict with certainty what new environmental problems EPA will face in the next 10 years or more, it worked to identify some of the common drivers and common characteristics of problems that are likely to occur. Tensions inherent to the structure of EPA's work contribute to the current and persistent challenges faced by the agency, and meeting those challenges will require development of leading-edge scientific methods, tools, and technologies, and a more deliberate approach to systems thinking and interdisciplinary science. Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead outlines a framework for building science for environmental protection in the 21st century and identified key areas where enhanced leadership and capacity can strengthen the agency's abilities to address current and emerging environmental challenges as well as take advantage of new tools and technologies to address them. The foundation of EPA science is strong, but the agency needs to continue to address numerous present and future challenges if it is to maintain its science leadership and meet its expanding mandates. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Tsunami Warning and Preparedness: An Assessment of the U.S. Tsunami Program and the Nation's Preparedness Efforts %@ 978-0-309-13753-9 %D 2011 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12628/tsunami-warning-and-preparedness-an-assessment-of-the-us-tsunami %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12628/tsunami-warning-and-preparedness-an-assessment-of-the-us-tsunami %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %K Conflict and Security Issues %P 296 %X Many coastal areas of the United States are at risk for tsunamis. After the catastrophic 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, legislation was passed to expand U.S. tsunami warning capabilities. Since then, the nation has made progress in several related areas on both the federal and state levels. At the federal level, NOAA has improved the ability to detect and forecast tsunamis by expanding the sensor network. Other federal and state activities to increase tsunami safety include: improvements to tsunami hazard and evacuation maps for many coastal communities; vulnerability assessments of some coastal populations in several states; and new efforts to increase public awareness of the hazard and how to respond. Tsunami Warning and Preparedness explores the advances made in tsunami detection and preparedness, and identifies the challenges that still remain. The book describes areas of research and development that would improve tsunami education, preparation, and detection, especially with tsunamis that arrive less than an hour after the triggering event. It asserts that seamless coordination between the two Tsunami Warning Centers and clear communications to local officials and the public could create a timely and effective response to coastal communities facing a pending tsuanami. According to Tsunami Warning and Preparedness, minimizing future losses to the nation from tsunamis requires persistent progress across the broad spectrum of efforts including: risk assessment, public education, government coordination, detection and forecasting, and warning-center operations. The book also suggests designing effective interagency exercises, using professional emergency-management standards to prepare communities, and prioritizing funding based on tsunami risk. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Coastal Meteorology: A Review of the State of the Science %@ 978-0-309-04687-9 %D 1992 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1991/coastal-meteorology-a-review-of-the-state-of-the-science %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1991/coastal-meteorology-a-review-of-the-state-of-the-science %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 112 %X Almost half the U.S. population lives along the coast. In another 20 years this population is expected to more than double in size. The unique weather and climate of the coastal zone, circulating pollutants, altering storms, changing temperature, and moving coastal currents affect air pollution and disaster preparedness, ocean pollution, and safeguarding near-shore ecosystems. Activities in commerce, industry, transportation, freshwater supply, safety, recreation, and national defense also are affected. The research community engaged in studies of coastal meteorology in recent years has made significant advancements in describing and predicting atmospheric properties along coasts. Coastal Meteorology reviews this progress and recommends research that would increase the value and application of what is known today. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Scientific Review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit %@ 978-0-309-26166-1 %D 2012 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13461/scientific-review-of-the-draft-environmental-impact-statement-drakes-bay %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13461/scientific-review-of-the-draft-environmental-impact-statement-drakes-bay %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Earth Sciences %P 84 %X In May 2012, the National Park Service (NPS) asked the National Research Council to conduct a scientific review of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to evaluate the effects of issuing a Special Use Permit for the commercial shellfish operation in Drakes Estero for a ten year time span. Drakes Bay Oyster Company (DBOC) currently operates the shellfish farm in Drakes Estero, part of Point Reyes National Seashore, under a reservation of use and occupancy that will expire on November 30, 2012 if a new Special Use Permit is not issued. Congress granted the Secretary of the Interior the discretionary authority to issue a new ten year Special Use Permit in 2009; hence, the Secretary now has the option to proceed with or delay the conversion of Drakes Estero to wilderness. To inform this decision, the NPS drafted an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the DBOC Special Use Permit. Under the National Environmental policy Act (NEPA), as EIS is prepared to inform the public and agency decision-makers regarding the potential environmental impacts of a proposed federal action and reasonable alternatives. The Department of the Interior commissioned a peer review of the DEIS that was released in March 2012. Scientific Review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit reviews the scientific information presented in the DEIS that is used to determine the potential environmental impacts of a ten year extension of DBOC operations. In particular, this report responds to the following tasks given to the committee: assess the scientific information, analysis, and conclusions presented in the DEIS for Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit, and evaluate whether the peer review of the DEIS is fundamentally sound and materially sufficient. Scientific Review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit focuses on eight of twelve resource categories considered in the DEIS: wetlands, eelgrass, wildlife and wildlife habitat, special-status species, coastal flood zones, soundscapes, water quality, and socioeconomic resources. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Urban Stormwater Management in the United States %@ 978-0-309-12539-0 %D 2009 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12465/urban-stormwater-management-in-the-united-states %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12465/urban-stormwater-management-in-the-united-states %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 610 %X The rapid conversion of land to urban and suburban areas has profoundly altered how water flows during and following storm events, putting higher volumes of water and more pollutants into the nation's rivers, lakes, and estuaries. These changes have degraded water quality and habitat in virtually every urban stream system. The Clean Water Act regulatory framework for addressing sewage and industrial wastes is not well suited to the more difficult problem of stormwater discharges. This book calls for an entirely new permitting structure that would put authority and accountability for stormwater discharges at the municipal level. A number of additional actions, such as conserving natural areas, reducing hard surface cover (e.g., roads and parking lots), and retrofitting urban areas with features that hold and treat stormwater, are recommended.