On May 4, 1984, EPA designated the Deepwater Municipal 

 Sludge Dump Site (DMSDS) , commonly known as the 106 Mile Site. 

 Beginning with the designation of the 106 Mile Site in 1984, 

 sludge disposal operations at the 12 Mile Site were phased out. 

 The disposal of sludge at the 106 Mile Site began in March 1986; 

 sludge disposal at the 12 Mile Site ended on December 31, 1987. 

 Since then all sludge disposal has taken place at the DMSDS. 

 The DMSDS is located approximately 120 nautical miles southeast 

 of Ambrose Light and 115 nautical miles from Atlantic City, New 

 Jersey, the nearest coastline. Water depths at the site range 

 from 2,250 to 2,750 meters. The site occupies an area of 

 approximately 100 square nautical miles. 



EPA^s Regulatory Aspects 



Ocean dumping was not regulated until 1973, when Congress 

 passed the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act 

 (MPRSA) . Under the MPRSA, EPA is required to establish and apply 

 criteria for reviewing and evaluating permit applications in 

 determining whether the proposed dumping "unreasonably degrades". 

 In establishing these criteria, EPA is required by statute to 

 consider, but is not limited to, the following: 



- the need for the proposed dumping; 



- the effect of such dumping on human health and welfare, 

 economic, aesthetic, and recreational values; 



- the effect of such dumping on fisheries resources, 

 plankton, fish and shellfish, wildlife, shorelines and 

 beaches ; 



- the effect of such dumping on marine ecosystems, 

 particularly with respect to: 



(i) the transfer, concentration, and dispersion 

 of such, or its by-products through biological, 

 physical, and chemical processes; 



(ii) potential changes in marine ecosystem 

 diversity, productivity and stability, and; 



(iii) species and community population dynamics; 



- the persistence and permanence of the effects of the 

 dumping; 



- the effect of dumping particular volumes and 

 concentrations of such materials; 



- appropriate locations and methods of disposal or 

 recycling, including land-based alternatives and the 

 probable impact of requiring use of such alternate 

 locations affecting the public interest; 



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