EPA's Vessel General Permit and Small Vessel General

increases in greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere have begun to increase rates of carbon
capture and storage in the oceans: as carbon dioxide levels in the oceans increase, the waters will
become more acidic, which would affect the physiology of large marine animals and cause
structures made of calcium carbonate (for example, corals) to dissolve (IPCC, 2001; Royal
Society of London, 2005).
Climate change is projected to have substantial direct and indirect effects on individuals,
populations, species, and the structure and function of marine, coastal, and terrestrial ecosystems
in the foreseeable future (McCarthy et al. 2001, Parry et al. 2007). Climate-mediated changes in
the global distribution and abundance are expected to reduce the productivity of the oceans by
affecting keystone prey species in marine ecosystems such as phytoplankton, krill, and
cephalopods.
Increasing atmospheric temperatures have already contributed to changes in the quality of the
freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems that are essential to the survival and recovery of
salmon populations and have contributed to the decline of populations of endangered and
threatened species (Mantua et al. 1997, Karl et al. 2009, Littell et al. 2009). Since the late 1970s,
sea surface temperatures have increased and coastal upwelling -which is recognized as an
important mechanism governing the production of both phytoplankton and zooplankton- has
decreased resulting in reduced prey availability and poorer marine survival of Pacific salmon.
Changes in the number of Chinook salmon escaping into the Klamath River between 1978 and
2005 corresponded with changes in coastal upwelling and marine productivity and the survival
of Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon and Oregon coho salmon has been predicted
using indices of coastal ocean upwelling (Karl et al. 2009, Littell et al. 2009, Elsner and Hamlet
2010). The majority (90%) of year-to-year variability in marine survival of hatchery reared coho
salmon between 1985 and 1996 can be explained by coastal oceanographic conditions.
Changes in temperature and precipitation projected over the next few decades are projected to
decrease snow pack, affect stream flow and water quality throughout the Pacific Northwest
region (Stewart et al., 2004, Knowles et al. 2006, Mote et al. 2008, Rauscher et al. 2008).
Warmer temperatures are expected to reduce snow accumulation and increase stream flows
during the winter, cause spring snowmelt to occur earlier in the year causing spring stream flows
to peak earlier in the year, and reduced summer stream flows in rivers that depend on snow melt
(most rivers in the Pacific Northwest depend on snow melt). As a result, seasonal stream flow
timing will likely shift significantly in sensitive watersheds (Littell et al. 2009).
The States of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, are likely to experience increased forest growth
over the next few decades followed by decreased forest growth as temperature increases
overwhelm the ability of trees to make use of higher winter precipitation and higher carbon
dioxide. In coastal areas, climate change is forecast to increase coastal erosion and beach loss
(caused by rising sea levels), increase the number of landslides caused by higher winter rainfall,
inundate areas in southern Puget Sound around the city of Olympia, Washington (Littell et al.
2009).
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