Thanks for the response, Carcassman,

WDFW indicates NMFS will prepare an EIS to evaluate the plan. Accordingly, at minimum, there will be an opportunity to comment at the scoping stage and on the draft EIS. As you know, scoping comments inform what issues need to be addressed in the EIS, and NMFS will be required to respond to public comments on the draft EIS. The EIS process thus could be a good opportunity for the bios you reference to ensure their concerns are made public and responded to.

Of course, to avoid the "no evidence" response, the bios will have to produce facts and data that back up their concerns.

Us lay people don't usually have the fact and data, much less the expertise, to substantiate these types of concerns, so I hope you and others will press your concerns during the NEPA process.