In general, it is necessary to document pre-project conditions in Environmental Risk Assessment, and this is a basic principle of the Before After Control Impact design of Environmental Studies. Pre-project conditions are called the baseline. Baseline conditions are not simple snapshots in time; they must include measurements of Environmental Indicators appropriate to assess the anticipated effects of a given project Stressor. Changing ocean conditions (due to global change) are likely to exacerbate the difficulties of establishing some baseline parameters.
The environmental baseline entries are separated into two areas:
Biological Baseline
Physical Baseline
(Please note that the entries herein are intended as introductions to the environmental baseline information only in very general terms, and based upon representative and important groups of resources in the context of possible ocean renewable energy development. The Information Sources entries under each grouping are intended to point to more robust references and information, and intended to act as examples, not to be comprehensive.)
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Last modified at 7/20/2011 1:35 PM by Greg McMurray
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