Federal Register/Vol. 84, No. 230/Friday, November 29, 2019/Rules and Regulations

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Federal Register/Vol. 84, No. 230/Friday, November 29, 2019/Rules and Regulations Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2019 / Rules and Regulations 65677 listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION F. Environment Dated: September 13, 2019. CONTACT, above. John P. Nadeau, Small businesses may send comments We have analyzed this rule under Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, on the actions of Federal employees Department of Homeland Security Eighth Coast Guard District. who enforce, or otherwise determine Management Directive 023–01, U.S. Coast Guard Environmental Planning Editorial Note: This document was compliance with, Federal regulations to submitted to the Office of the Federal the Small Business and Agriculture Policy COMDTINST 5090.1 (series) and Register on November 25, 2019. Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman U.S. Coast Guard Environmental [FR Doc. 2019–25977 Filed 11–27–19; 8:45 am] and the Regional Small Business Planning Implementation Procedures BILLING CODE 9110–04–P Regulatory Fairness Boards. The (series) which guide the Coast Guard in Ombudsman evaluates these actions complying with the National annually and rates each agency’s Environmental Policy Act of 1969 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND responsiveness to small business. If you (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370f). We SECURITY wish to comment on actions by have made a determination that this employees of the Coast Guard, call 1– action is one of a category of actions that Coast Guard 888–REG–FAIR (1–888–734–3247). The do not individually or cumulatively Coast Guard will not retaliate against have a significant effect on the human 33 CFR Part 165 small entities that question or complain environment. This rule promulgates the [Docket Number USCG–2019–0023] about this rule or any policy or action operating regulations or procedures for of the Coast Guard. drawbridges. This action is categorically RIN 1625–AA00 C. Collection of Information excluded from further review, under paragraph L49, of Chapter 3, Table 3–1 Safety Zone, MBTA Railroad Bridge This rule calls for no new collection of the U.S. Coast Guard Environmental Replacement Project—Annisquam of information under the Paperwork Planning Implementation Procedures. River, Gloucester, MA Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501– 3520). Neither a Record of Environmental AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. Consideration nor a Memorandum for ACTION: Temporary final rule. D. Federalism and Indian Tribal the Record are required for this rule. Government SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is G. Protest Activities A rule has implications for federalism establishing a temporary safety zone for the navigable waters within 100 yards of under Executive Order 13132, The Coast Guard respects the First the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Federalism, if it has a substantial direct Amendment rights of protesters. Authority (MBTA) Railroad Bridge, at effect on the States, on the relationship Protesters are asked to contact the mile 0.7, across the Annisquam River, between the national government and person listed in the FOR FURTHER the States, or on the distribution of Gloucester, Massachusetts, from INFORMATION CONTACT section to December 1, 2019, through June 30, power and responsibilities among the coordinate protest activities so that your various levels of government. We have 2023. The temporary safety zone is message can be received without necessary to protect personnel, vessels analyzed this rule under that Order and jeopardizing the safety or security of have determined that it is consistent and the marine environment from people, places or vessels. with the fundamental federalism potential hazards created during the principles and preemption requirements List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117 replacement project of the MBTA described in Executive Order 13132. Railroad Bridge. When enforced, this Also, this rule does not have tribal Bridges. rule would prohibit vessels and persons from being in the safety zone unless implications under Executive Order For the reasons discussed in the 13175, Consultation and Coordination authorized by the Captain of the Port preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33 (COTP) Boston or a designated with Indian Tribal Governments, CFR part 117 as follows: because it does not have a substantial representative. direct effect on one or more Indian PART 117—DRAWBRIDGE DATES: This rule is effective from tribes, on the relationship between the OPERATION REGULATIONS December 1, 2019, through June 30, Federal Government and Indian tribes, 2023. or on the distribution of power and ■ 1. The authority citation for part 117 ADDRESSES: To view documents responsibilities between the Federal continues to read as follows: mentioned in this preamble as being Government and Indian tribes. Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; 33 CFR 1.05–1; available in the docket, go to the Federal E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act Department of Homeland Security Delegation eRulemaking Portal at http:// No. 0170.1. www.regulations.gov. Type USCG– The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 2019–0023 in the ‘‘SEARCH’’ box and of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531–1538) requires ■ 2. Revise § 117.113 to read as follows: click ‘‘SEARCH.’’ Click on Open Docket Federal agencies to assess the effects of Folder on the line associated with this their discretionary regulatory actions. In § 117.113 Tensaw River. rule. particular, the Act addresses actions that may result in the expenditure by a The draw of the CSX Transportation FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If State, local, or tribal government, in the Railroad bridge, mile 15.0 at Hurricane, you have questions about this aggregate, or by the private sector of shall open on signal if at least ten-hours- rulemaking, call or email Mark Cutter, $100,000,000 (adjusted for inflation) or notice is given. The draw shall open at Waterways Management Division, U.S. more in any one year. Though this rule the direction of the District Commander. Coast Guard Sector Boston, telephone will not result in such an expenditure, 617–223–4000, email mark.e.cutter@ we do discuss the effects of this rule uscg.mil. elsewhere in this preamble. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:44 Nov 27, 2019 Jkt 250001 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\29NOR1.SGM 29NOR1 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES 65678 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2019 / Rules and Regulations I. Table of Abbreviations This rulemaking is to protect days in advance of the enforcement of CFR Code of Federal Regulations personnel, vessels, and the marine the safety zones. environment from potential hazards COTP Captain of the Port V. Regulatory Analyses DHS Department of Homeland Security created during the replacement project FR Federal Register of the MBTA Railroad Bridge, at mile We developed this rule after MBTA Massachusetts Bay Transportation 0.7, across the Annisquam River, considering numerous statutes and Authority Gloucester, Massachusetts. This Executive orders related to rulemaking. NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking rulemaking under authority in 46 U.S.C. Below we summarize our analyses NAD 83 North American Datum 1983 70034 (previously 33 U.S.C. 1231). based on a number of these statutes and § Section Executive orders and we discuss First U.S.C. United States Code III. Legal Authority and Need for Rule Amendment rights of protestors. II. Background, Purpose, and Legal The Coast Guard is issuing this rule A. Regulatory Planning and Review Basis under authority in 46 U.S.C. 70034. The Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 COTP Boston and has determined that The MBTA notified Sector Boston that direct agencies to assess the costs and potential hazards associated with the there will be times in which the narrow benefits of available regulatory replacement of the submarine cables, navigable channel underneath the alternatives and, if regulation is MBTA Railroad Bridge, Annisquam abutment construction, and span necessary, to select regulatory River, Gloucester, Massachusetts, will replacement will be a safety concern for approaches that maximize net benefits. need to be closed for the replacement of anyone within the work area or anyone Executive Order 13771 directs agencies submarine cables, abutment transiting within 100 yards of the MBTA to control regulatory costs through a construction, and span replacement. Railroad Bridge. The purpose of this budgeting process. This rule has not In response, on August 19, 2019, the rule is to ensure the safety of vessels been designated a ‘‘significant Coast Guard published a notice of and personnel within 100 yards of the regulatory action,’’ under Executive proposed rulemaking (NPRM) titled MBTA Railroad Bridge before, during, Order 12866. Accordingly, the rule has ‘‘Safety Zone, MBTA Railroad Bridge and after the replacement of the not been reviewed by the Office of Replacement Project—Annisquam submarine cables, abutment Management and Budget (OMB), and River, Gloucester, MA’’ (84 FR 42869). construction, and span replacement. pursuant to OMB guidance it is exempt There we stated why we issued the IV. Discussion of Comments, Changes, from the requirements of Executive NPRM, and invited comments on our and the Rule Order 13771. proposed regulatory action related to This regulatory action determination this safety zone. During the comment As noted above, we received zero is based on the size, location, duration, period that ended on September 18, comments on the NPRM published and time of year of the safety zone. 2019, we received zero comments. August 19, 2019. The only regulatory There may be a time during the boating The replacement project started in the text change in this rule is the start date summer season that the safety zone fall of 2018 and is expected to be is moved from November 1, 2019 to needs to be enforced. However, the completed in December 2022. The December 1, 2019. The contractor has MBTA and contractor are making all COTP Boston determined that the stated that they are behind schedule and attempts to schedule these needed potential hazards associated with the would not need the safety zone prior to closures during the winter months.
Recommended publications
  • Re: Notice of Intent for Remediation General Permit for MBTA
    MAG910000 Appendix IV – Part 1 – NOI NHG910000 Page 14 of 24 II. Suggested Format for the Remediation General Permit Notice of Intent (NOI) A. General site information: 1. Name of site: Site address: Street: City: State: Zip: 2. Site owner Contact Person: Telephone: Email: Mailing address: Street: Owner is (check one): □ Federal □ State/Tribal □ Private City: State: Zip: □ Other; if so, specify: 3. Site operator, if different than owner Contact Person: Telephone: Email: Mailing address: Street: City: State: Zip: 4. NPDES permit number assigned by EPA: 5. Other regulatory program(s) that apply to the site (check all that apply): □ MA Chapter 21e; list RTN(s): □ CERCLA □ UIC Program NPDES permit is (check all that apply: □ RGP □ DGP □ CGP NH Groundwater Management Permit or □ □ POTW Pretreatment □ MSGP □ Individual NPDES permit □ Other; if so, specify: Groundwater Release Detection Permit: □ CWA Section 404 MAG910000 Appendix IV – Part 1 – NOI NHG910000 Page 15 of 24 B. Receiving water information: 1. Name of receiving water(s): Waterbody identification of receiving water(s): Classification of receiving water(s): Receiving water is (check any that apply): □ Outstanding Resource Water □ Ocean Sanctuary □ territorial sea □ Wild and Scenic River 2. Has the operator attached a location map in accordance with the instructions in B, above? (check one): □ Yes □ No Are sensitive receptors present near the site? (check one): □ Yes □ No If yes, specify: 3. Indicate if the receiving water(s) is listed in the State’s Integrated List of Waters (i.e., CWA Section 303(d)). Include which designated uses are impaired, and any pollutants indicated. Also, indicate if a final TMDL is available for any of the indicated pollutants.
    [Show full text]
  • Surviving the First Year of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1630-1631 Memoir of Roger Clap, Ca
    National Humanities Center Resource Toolbox American Beginnings: The European Presence in North America, 1492-1690 Marguerite Mullaney Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, May “shift for ourselves in a forlorn place in this wilderness” Surviving the First Year of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1630-1631 Memoir of Roger Clap, ca. 1680s, excerpts * Roger Clap [Clapp] arrived in New England in May 1630 at age 21, having overcome his father's opposition to his emigration. In his seventies he began his memoir to tell his children of "God's remarkable providences . in bringing me to this land." A devout man, he interprets the lack of food for his body as part of God's providing food for the soul, in this case the souls of the Puritans as they created their religious haven. thought good, my dear children, to leave with you some account of God’s remarkable providences to me, in bringing me into this land and placing me here among his dear servants and in his house, who I am most unworthy of the least of his mercies. The Scripture requireth us to tell God’s wondrous works to our children, that they may tell them to their children, that God may have glory throughout all ages. Amen. I was born in England, in Sallcom, in Devonshire, in the year of our Lord 1609. My father was a man fearing God, and in good esteem among God’s faithful servants. His outward estate was not great, I think not above £80 per annum.1 We were five brethren (of which I was the youngest) and two sisters.
    [Show full text]
  • Open Space and Recreation Plan
    Open Space and Recreation Plan for the Town of Ipswich 2013 The Open Space Committee is pleased to present this updated comprehensive Open Space and Recreation Plan to the citizens of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Open Space Committee Members Carolyn Britt (Committee Co-Chair) Wayne Castonguay (Committee Co-Chair) Andrew Brengle Will Holton Cynthia Ingelfinger Carl Nylen Ralph Williams Associate Members Jim Berry Douglas DeAngelis Lawrence Eliot David Feldman Mary B. ffolliott Ed Monnelly David Standley Open Space Program Manager: Kristen Grubbs Open Space Stewardship Coordinator: Beth O’Connor Plan edited and designed by Andrew Brengle GIS maps created by Glenn Hazelton Open Space and Recreation Plan for the Town of Ipswich 2013-2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ...............................................................................................................................................v SECTION 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................................................1 SECTION 2. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................2 2A. Statement of Purpose .....................................................................................................................2 2B. Planning Process and Public Participation .....................................................................................2 SECTION 3. COMMUNITY SETTING ....................................................................................................4
    [Show full text]
  • Processes Influencing the Transport and Fate of Contaminated Sediments in the Coastal Ocean-Boston Harbor and Massachusetts
    26 Section 4: Oceanographic Setting By Bradford Butman, Richard P. Signell, John C. Warner, and P. Soupy Alexander The ocean currents in Massachusetts Bay mix and time because of the complex bathymetry and coastal transport water and material in the bay, and exchange geometry, and because of the multiple processes (for water with the adjacent Gulf of Maine. The currents example wind, river runoff, and currents in the Gulf of can conceptually be separated into tidal currents (which Maine) that drive the flow and change seasonally. fluctuate 1–2 times each day), low-frequency currents The oceanography of Massachusetts Bay may caused by winds and river runoff (which typically be conceptually separated into four seasonal intervals fluctuate with a period of a few days), and a residual (following Geyer and others, 1992) based on the wind current (steady over a few weeks). Field observations and surface waves (fig. 4.1); the temperature and thermal (Butman, 1976; Geyer and others, 1992; Butman and stratification of the water column (fig. 4.2); the salinity, others, 2004a; Butman and others, 2006) and simulations salinity stratification, and horizontal salinity gradients of the currents by numerical hydrodynamic models (for caused by river discharge (fig. 4.3); and the density example Signell and others, 1996; Signell and others, 2000) provide descriptions of the flow pattern, strength, stratification, which results from the temperature and and variability of the currents. Field observations salinity distribution (fig. 4.4). From November through provide measurements of the currents at selected March (winter), the water column is vertically well- locations during specific periods of time, whereas model mixed, and the wind and surface waves are the largest of simulations provide a high-resolution view of the often the year.
    [Show full text]
  • Boston Harbor South Watersheds 2004 Assessment Report
    Boston Harbor South Watersheds 2004 Assessment Report June 30, 2004 Prepared for: Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Prepared by: Neponset River Watershed Association University of Massachusetts, Urban Harbors Institute Boston Harbor Association Fore River Watershed Association Weir River Watershed Association Contents How rapidly is open space being lost?.......................................................35 Introduction ix What % of the shoreline is publicly accessible?........................................35 References for Boston Inner Harbor Watershed........................................37 Common Assessment for All Watersheds 1 Does bacterial pollution limit fishing or recreation? ...................................1 Neponset River Watershed 41 Does nutrient pollution pose a threat to aquatic life? ..................................1 Does bacterial pollution limit fishing or recreational use? ......................46 Do dissolved oxygen levels support aquatic life?........................................5 Does nutrient pollution pose a threat to aquatic life or other uses?...........48 Are there other water quality problems? ....................................................6 Do dissolved oxygen (DO) levels support aquatic life? ..........................51 Do water supply or wastewater management impact instream flows?........7 Are there other indicators that limit use of the watershed? .....................53 Roughly what percentage of the watersheds is impervious? .....................8 Do water supply,
    [Show full text]
  • Essex County, Massachusetts, 1630-1768 Harold Arthur Pinkham Jr
    University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Winter 1980 THE TRANSPLANTATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF THE ENGLISH SHIRE IN AMERICA: ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS, 1630-1768 HAROLD ARTHUR PINKHAM JR. University of New Hampshire, Durham Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation PINKHAM, HAROLD ARTHUR JR., "THE TRANSPLANTATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF THE ENGLISH SHIRE IN AMERICA: ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS, 1630-1768" (1980). Doctoral Dissertations. 2327. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/2327 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This was produced from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. Whfle the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or notations vhich may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or “target” for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Page(s)”. If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure you of complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a round black mark it is an indication that the film inspector noticed either blurred copy because of movement during exposure, or duplicate copy.
    [Show full text]
  • Weir River Area of Critical Environmental Concern Natural Resources Inventory
    Weir River Area of Critical Environmental concern Natural Resources Inventory Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Massachusetts Watershed Initiative Department of Environmental Management Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Program August 2002 Jane Swift, Governor Bob Durand, Secretary, EOEA Peter C. Webber, Commissioner, DEM This document was prepared by Special thanks to Elizabeth Sorensen, Katie Urban Harbors Institute Lund, Jason Burtner, Karl Pastore, Margo University of Massachusetts Boston Clerkin, Straits Pond Watershed Association, 100 Morrissey Boulevard David Roach, Samantha Woods, Sally Avery, J. Boston, MA 02125 Hall, J. Lupos, B. McNamara, Ed Petrilak, and (617) 287.5570 Judith Van Hamm www.uhi.umb.edu Cover photo, Cory Riley Table Of Contents Index of Figures and 10. Land Use 37 Tables ii 11. Open Space and 1. Introduction 1 Recreation 40 12.1 World's End 40 2. Characteristics 12.2 Town of Hull 40 and Designation 5 12.3 Tufts University 41 12.4 Weir River Estuary Park 41 2.1 ACEC Background 5 2.2 Designation of ACEC 5 12. Recreation and Commercial Boating 43 3. Regional History 8 A. Hull 43 3.1 Archaeological Evaluation 7 B. Hingham 43 3.2 Local Industries 7 3.3 Straits Pond 8 13. Future Research 44 3.4 Flood History 9 4. Geology and Soils 11 Literature Cited 45 5. Watershed Appendix A - Natural Heritage Characteristics 12 Endangered Species Program 48 6. Habitats of the ACEC 14 6.1 Estuaries 14 Appendix B - Nomination and 6.2 Tidal Flats 14 Designation of the 6.3 Salt Marsh 14 Weir River ACEC 49 6.4 Shallow Marsh Meadow 15 Appendix C - World’s End Endangered 6.4 Eel Grass Beds 15 Species 58 6.5 Vernal Pools 15 7.
    [Show full text]
  • (Osmerus Mordax) Spawning Habitat in the Weymouth- Fore River
    Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report TR-5 Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Spawning Habitat in the Weymouth- Fore River Bradford C. Chase and Abigail R. Childs Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Commonwealth of Massachusetts September 2001 Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report TR-5 Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Spawning Habitat in the Weymouth-Fore River Bradford C. Chase and Abigail R. Childs Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station 30 Emerson Ave. Gloucester, MA 01930 September 2001 Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Paul Diodati, Director Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement Dave Peters, Commissioner Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Bob Durand, Secretary Commonwealth of Massachusetts Jane Swift, Governor ABSTRACT The spawning habitat of anadromous rainbow smelt in the Weymouth-Fore River, within the cities of Braintree and Weymouth, was monitored during 1988-1990 to document temporal, spatial and biological characteristics of the spawning run. Smelt deposited eggs primarily in the Monatiquot River, upstream of Route 53, over a stretch of river habitat that exceeded 900 m and included over 8,000 m2 of suitable spawning substrate. Minor amounts of egg deposition were found in Smelt Brook, primarily located below the Old Colony railroad embankment where a 6 ft culvert opens to an intertidal channel. The Smelt Brook spawning habitat is degraded by exposure to chronic stormwater inputs, periodic raw sewer discharges and modified stream hydrology. Overall, the entire Weymouth-Fore River system supports one of the larger smelt runs in Massachusetts Bay, with approximately 10,000 m2 of available spawning substrate.
    [Show full text]
  • The Massachusetts Bay Hydrodynamic Model: 2005 Simulation
    The Massachusetts Bay Hydrodynamic Model: 2005 Simulation Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Environmental Quality Department Report ENQUAD 2008-12 Jiang MS, Zhou M. 2008. The Massachusetts Bay Hydrodynamic Model: 2005 Simulation. Boston: Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. Report 2008-12. 58 pp. Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Boston, Massachusetts The Massachusetts Bay Hydrodynamic Model: 2005 Simulation Prepared by: Mingshun Jiang & Meng Zhou Department of Environmental, Earth and Ocean Sciences University of Massachusetts Boston 100 Morrissey Blvd Boston, MA 02125 July 2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay system (MBS) is a semi- enclosed coastal system connected to the Gulf of Maine (GOM) through boundary exchange. Both natural processes including climate change, seasonal variations and episodic events, and human activities including nutrient inputs and fisheries affect the physical and biogeochemical environment in the MBS. Monitoring and understanding of physical–biogeochemical processes in the MBS is important to resource management and environmental mitigation. Since 1992, the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) has been monitoring the MBS in one of the nation’s most comprehensive monitoring programs. Under a cooperative agreement between the MWRA and University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB), the UMB modeling team has conducted numerical simulations of the physical–biogeochemical conditions and processes in the MBS during 2000-2004. Under a new agreement between MWRA, Battelle and UMB, the UMB continues to conduct a numerical simulation for 2005, a year in which the MBS experienced an unprecedented red–tide event that cost tens of millions dollars to Massachusetts shellfish industry. This report presents the model validation and simulated physical environment in 2005.
    [Show full text]
  • APPENDIX a Physical Characterization
    APPENDIX A Physical Characterization Appendix A: Physical Characterization December 2007 A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION A.1 Physical Oceanography of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays A.1.a General Summary of Processes Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays are subject to the combined influence of atmospheric forcing (wind stress, heat flux, and precipitation), river inflows (both direct and remote), and boundary forcing of tidal flows, storm surges, and currents of the Gulf of Maine—in particular the Western Maine Coastal Current (WMCC) (Brooks 1985; Brown and Irish 1992; Geyer et al. 2004). Temperature variations are mainly due to surface heating and cooling, following the seasonal cycle of the air temperature. Salinity is mainly influenced by the river inflows, particularly the Merrimack and the Charles Rivers. The water properties in Massachusetts Bay are also influenced by the conditions in the Gulf of Maine—in fact it is instructive to think of Massachusetts Bay as a small “arm” of the Gulf of Maine rather than a distinct water body. This is illustrated in particular by the dissolved oxygen variations in Massachusetts Bay, which very closely track the variations in dissolved oxygen of the adjacent waters of the Gulf of Maine (Geyer et al. 2002). Currents within Massachusetts Bay are generally on the order of 10 cm/s (or 8 km/day) (Butman, 1978), with stronger currents near the mouth, particularly in the vicinity of Race Point to the south and Cape Ann to the north. There is a general counter-clockwise circulation in Massachusetts Bay (Geyer et al. 1992), although the mean flow becomes weak in western Massachusetts Bay, and most of the flow there is due to tidal and fluctuating, wind-forced motions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114 Charles D
    The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114 Charles D. Baker GOVERNOR Tel: (617) 626-1000 Karyn E. Polito Fax: (617) 626-1081 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR http://www.mass.gov/eea Kathleen A. Theoharides SECRETARY July 17, 2020 DRAFT RECORD OF DECISION PROJECT NAME : Monatiquot River Restoration PROJECT MUNICIPALITY : Braintree PROJECT WATERSHED : Boston Harbor EEA NUMBER : 16224 PROJECT PROPONENT : Town of Braintree in cooperation with Hollingsworth Pond, LLC DATE NOTICED IN MONITOR : June 10, 2020 Pursuant to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA; M.G.L.c.30, ss. 61-62I) and Sections 11.06 and 11.11 of the MEPA Regulations (301 CMR 11.00), I have reviewed the Expanded Environmental Notification Form (EENF) and hereby propose to grant a Waiver from the categorical requirement to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). In a separate Certificate also issued today, I have set forth the outstanding issues related to the project that can be addressed by permitting agencies. Upon request of the Proponents, and in a separate Certificate issued today, I have also established a Special Review Procedure (SRP) to guide the review of this project. The SRP acknowledges that the project contemplates both an Ecological Restoration component (Phase 1), which includes dam removal and construction of a vehicle and pedestrian bridge to an adjoining parcel, and potential development of that adjoining parcel (Phase 2) for which access will be newly created by the bridge constructed in Phase 1. The SRP allows this phasing of the project, acknowledges that an EIR waiver will be granted for Phase 1, and sets forth the parameters for future review of Phase 2 if and when development commences on the adjoining parcel.
    [Show full text]
  • Field Study of Water Quality in Support of Eelgrass Habitat Restoration Planning in the Annisquam River
    Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 2007 FIELD STUDY OF WATER QUALITY IN SUPPORT OF EELGRASS HABITAT RESTORATION PLANNING IN THE ANNISQUAM RIVER Anthony R. Wilbur Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management ABSTRACT Water clarity and chemistry were studied in the Annisquam River and Gloucester Harbor from June to October 2006. Secchi disk depth (m) was measured to provide a relative assessment of water clarity, and a hand­held water quality monitor was used to collect water chemistry data (water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH). The five­month study described geographic and temporal characteristics of water clarity and chemistry in the Annisquam River. Results demonstrated a gradient of relatively higher water quality in northern waters of the Annisquam River to comparatively depressed water quality in southern waters of the Annisquam River, with the poorest water clarity, highest temperature, and lowest dissolved oxygen observed in the Little River. This study is part of an effort by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management to develop an eelgrass habitat restoration plan for the Annisquam River. INTRODUCTION Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is an underwater plant that forms valuable shallow water habitat in coastal Massachusetts. Wasting disease, caused by the slime mold Labyrinthula, decimated eelgrass populations in the 1930s throughout the north Atlantic Ocean, including Massachusetts. This catastrophe substantially altered coastal food webs and processes (e.g., current and sediment transport patterns), severely diminished populations of waterfowl and bay scallops, and caused the extinction of a marine snail (Carlton et al. 1991), demonstrating the ecological and economic value of eelgrass (Thayer 1984). Although site­specific information on recovery is rare (e.g., Dexter 1985), sporadic observations through time indicate eelgrass generally recovered throughout its range from this epidemic by the 1950s­60s.
    [Show full text]