United States Department of the interior Letter of October 12th 2021 12922

Excerpt from the letter – The TSP identifies numerous strategies and alternatives throughout the Study Area to reduce coastal storm risk and the effects of SLC. The TSP also identifies numerous impacts to the aquatic environment, including the filling of over 154 acres of wetlands (Draft Integrated Report pp. xv), mud flats, submerged aquatic vegetation, and open waters of the Study Area and the potential for the TSP to impact water quality, tidal flow and regime, sediment transport, and the life stages of a variety of aquatic organisms and other wildlife that utilize the many habitats found in the Study Area. As described in more detail below, these impacts present risks to natural, cultural and recreational resources under the jurisdictional responsibilities of both the NPS and the Service. Both NPS and Service comments also identify significant concerns with the Draft Integrated Report’s data gaps, the Corps’ focus on structural alternatives to the neglect of non-structural alternatives, the lack of Nature