Part 2, Sec. 2C10
Human
Activities - Submerged Pipelines and Cables
10.
Submerged Pipelines and Cables
No
submerged electrical cables or pipelines are known to exist
on or adjacent to Stellwagen Bank. Additionally, no international
telephone cables exist or are contemplated for the Stellwagen
Bank area (Jeff Ewald, AT&T, pers. comm., May 1990). NOAA
nautical charts indicate the presence of a "submerged cable"
passing immediately to the south of the Bank, which has been
identified as an inactive telegraph cable (Jeff Ewald, pers.
comm., May 1990).
Very
speculative and preliminary information is available regarding
proposals for the construction of pipelines or the installation
of submarine cables on or adjacent to Stellwagen Bank. Only
one instance has been found where the possibility of constructing
a pipeline across the Bank was discussed. Discussions surrounded
an OCS lease sale for the northern portions of Georges Bank
(P.Hughes, MCZM OCS Coordinator, personal communication, May
1990). If the volume of oil discovered had been of sufficient
quantity, a direct pipeline to the Boston area would have been
proposed, most likely along an alignment which could traverse
the Bank.
In
terms of submarine cables, the MCZM Office was contacted two
to three years ago regarding the possibility of installing an
electrical transmission cable from Nova Scotia to the Boston
area, presumably as a part of planning for the Fundy tidal power
project (Jan Smith, MCZM Water Quality Planner, pers. comm.,
May 1990). Additionally, in response to the DEIS/MP on this
Sanctuary, reference has been made to a tentatively proposed
submarine cable, known as the Bluenose Project, which would
transmit "significant amounts of power and energy between Nova
Scotia and the Pilgrim Nuclear Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts."
(R. Gillis, Esq., April 1991). Nova Scotia Power also has indicated
that preliminary discussions have been conducted with "a number
of interests in Massachusetts" regarding the installation of
a submarine cable across Stellwagen Bank for the purpose of
electricity transmission." (R. Smith, Nova Scotia Power, April
1991). Almost all possible alignments for submarine cables would
intersect with the Stellwagen Bank feature.
Although
the laying of submarine cables is thought to be reasonably benign
environmentally, the presence of a cable in an active fishing
area could cause problems with damage to both the cable and
fishing gear. Some have speculated that cables on the sea bottom
could create obstacles to the movement of bottom-dwelling organisms
(Darnell, 1976). The trench and fill required for burying cables
and pipelines could disturb sensitive fish spawning areas; and
the activity of the installation equipment could disturb marine
mammals and seabirds. Excavation activity can also disturb or
destroy marine archaeological sites.
The
most significant problem with pipelines, and with electrical
transmission cables which use circulating oil for cooling, is
the possibility of leaks causing contamination of the surrounding
waters.
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