cleanup is completed, could range from "objectionable" to "severe recreation al loss," the latter costing several thousand dollars in recreation lost and operator cleanup. If pollution incidents occurred during periods of heavy visitor use, loss of recreational enjoyment and use and the loss in economic benefit to the vicinity could be substantial. Spilled oil would have a direct adverse impact on local inhabitants, because it fouls boats, temporarily pollutes recreation areas, and curtails the tourist industry. Water sports, such as surfing, swimming, diving, spearfishing, underwater photography, fishing, boating, and water skiing would be directly affected by an oil spill. Other marine-related activities such as beachcombing, shell hunting, seascape painting, shoreline nature study, camping, and sunbathing would be unattractive during cleanup operations. B. Construction and Operation Effects Construction of platforms, submerged production systems, and the pipelines necessary to move produced oil and gas from the offshore production facilities to storage and treatment facilities, and the disposal of washed cuttings during drilling operations would have a minor and shortlived adverse impact on nearby flora and fauna. 1. Wildlife Along Pipeline Routes and Near Onshore Facilities Pipeline and utility installation would temporarily disrupt the natural habitat; however, it should recover within a short period of time. Onshore facilities would represent a longer term land commitment; eventually, however, the land would be returned as nearly possible to its natural status or to a higher land use. Not all species are affected to the same degree by human activity. Oil and brine spills, potential but unlikely, could disturb the nearby wild life population; however, eventual recovery would be expected. 2. Benthic Organisms During the constructional phase, any platform, pipeline, nearshore loading terminal, offshore storage terminal, or submerged production system should have a short-term impact, ranging from negligible to moderate, on the benthic organisms. The duration of this impact is estimated to range from 2 months to several years depending on specific community composition. The most significant of these operations could be burial of pipeline portions by blasting, jetting, or covering with rip-rap along a narrow corridor from the intertidal zone to the outer edge of a kelp bed if present. The benthic environment would return to a condition similar to that before construction. An artificial habitat would be constructed. The effects of the possible levels of development on bottom sediments alone are anticipated to be minimal. During the construction phase, (for example, platform, pipeline, nearshore loading terminal, and/or offshore storage and loading system), the microrelief of the ocean floor would be changed. Turbidity would be increased temporarily. Rip-rap could have a local effect on sediment transport dependent upon water depth. A few square yards of sediment could be covered if a single leg mooring system were built. Drill cuttings and displaced sediment would have neither beneficial nor detrimental effects. Compared to naturally occurring onshore-offshore and longshore sediment transport volume, the sediment displacement would be minimal. During the post-operational phase, temporary minor disturbance would occur if bottom and sub-bottom components were removed. There would be no significant long-term effects on sediments. The beaches or coastline in the Channel region would be impacted upon on an intermittent and temporary basis during the construction phase of the facilities. During this time, a pipeline may be buried nearshore (to 200 feet water depth) and onshore at the beach. Increased water turbidity would result. Increased noise and exhaust vapors would be pro duced. An onshore construction site would produce increased background noise, fumes or exhaust vapors, and possibly increased siltation during and shortly after construction. See section III.LL.1.b. for construction air impacts. b. Operation Phase Offshore marine loading terminals, platforms, and associated vessel movements would be partly visible to beach visitors, some of whom might find them aesthetically objectionable. All offshore structures interfere to a degree with commercial fishing. This conflict is most intense in shallow areas. The structures themselves would occupy a minor area of ocean bottom, but trawling gear could be entangled if trawlers approached too closely to them. If several structures were clustered moderately close to each other, they could render the entire area within the cluster unusable for trawling, although this is not likely. Commercial fishing is carried on in the Santa Barbara Channel with a steady volume of trawler activity. Methods of commercial fishing other than trawl ing are largely unaffected by offshore structures or pipelines. Otter boards, weighing from 500 to 800 pounds each, have rounded edges designed to allow the boards (and net) to "hop" or slide over smooth underwater obstacles. Most trawling is done in deep water although a sea-bottom pipeline connection at the 300-foot water depth could possibly snag nets. The location of pipeline connectors would be public knowledge, and this information could be plotted on marine charts and the area could be avoided by local trawlermen. Damage, in the form of fraying or minor tears, might result if nets should contact barnacles growing on the pipelines, although this is expected to be no more serious than present net contacts with barnacles on rocks. Pipelines could serve as traps for trawling equipment if gaps or scoured areas opened under them. Under these conditions, otter boards could ride under pipes and wedge firmly, instead of smoothly sliding across them. If this occurred, a net might be severely damaged or lost, especially if towlines between the trawler and the net failed. Most fishermen indicated that such a loss could normally be avoided by reversing power and "backing the net off the pipeline," but it was generally conceded that adverse weather conditions, or other unforeseen factors, could make this course of action difficult. Very little, if any, interference would occur between platforms and ships that are utilizing established shipping lanes. The possibility of a major seagoing vessel colliding with a platform is considered remote as most offshore facilities would be located several miles from the shipping lanes and the platforms would be equipped in accordance with Coast Guard regulations. E. Effect on Truck Traffic Truck traffic on local highways would be increased with the increased chance of accidents, some additional noise, and slightly increased air polluSee section III. LL.1.b. for construction traffic air impacts. tion. Adverse effects on historic and archeological resources will occur if ground-disturbing construction or drilling cannot be designed to avoid cultural resources identified by previous surveys. If such relocation cannot be accomplished, then destruction of sites constitutes an adverse effect to the extent that scientific salvage, or salvage excavation, destroys the context, making the context unavailable for future study. Study may be accomplished prior to salvage excavation. G. Debris follows: Adverse impacts of debris from various sources can be summarized as nets. • Metal objects may be lost off platforms, barges, and boats and • Small boats can be damaged by collision with large, heavy, floating materials, and a small percentage increase might be |