11 AAC Habitats. Habitats standard: With the exception of rocky islands, seacliffs, barrier islands & lagoons, each specific habitat type to be managed for a specific list of habitat values. A particular habitat receives more holistic review if it is designated an important habitat.

e.g. Offshore Areas Managed to avoid, minimize, or mitigate significant adverse impacts to competing uses such as commercial, recreational, or subsistence fishing, to the extent that those uses are determined to be in competition with the proposed use.

Estuaries Managed to avoid, minimize, mitigate significant adverse impacts to adequate water flow & natural water circulation patterns & competing fishing purposes. Nutrients, oxygen levels, toxic discharges, & siltation are under statutory & regulatory authority of DEC.Nutrients, oxygen levels, toxic discharges, & siltation are under statutory & regulatory authority of DEC.

Wetlands Habitat standard require that wetlands be managed to: avoid, minimize, mitigate significant adverse impacts to water flow & natural drainage patterns. Nutrients, oxygen levels & toxic discharges are under statutory & regulatory authority of DEC.

Rivers, Streams & Lakes … avoid, minimize, mitigate significant adverse impacts to natural water flow, active floodplains, & natural vegetation within riparian management areas.

Important Habitat New standards include a category called important habitat. Designated by District or State. Managed for special productivity of the habitat according to district EPs if designated by a district. To designate important habitat, District or State demonstrate: (1) use of those areas has direct & significant impact on coastal water; & (2) designated portions shown by scientific evidence to be biologically & significantly productive.