What is "Scoping"?
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) requires Federal agencies to conduct scoping prior to preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed action. According to CEQ regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations Section 1501.7), "There shall be an early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action. This process shall be termed scoping."

CINMS conducted scoping prior to preparing an EIS as part of the management plan review process. From June to August of 1999 CINMS held seven public scoping meetings on management plan revision across Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties, as well as in Washington, D.C. During those meetings numerous individuals raised a wide range of local, regional and national resource concerns and management suggestions. Additionally, the Sanctuary received numerous comments about management plan revision via letters, email, and fax. Sanctuary staff compiled these comments and suggestions which are available in two formats:

1) 1999 Public Scoping Comments organized by scoping meeting location
2) 1999 Public Scoping Comments Synthesis organized by issue categories.