health, welfare, or amenities, or the marine environment, ecological sys- 

 tems, or economic potentialities. The dumping of wastes or toxic mater- 

 ials at sea is strictly regulated by the U.S. EPA and the Iondon Dumping 

 Convention of which the U.S. is a Contracting Party. Ihis act is con- 

 cerned with the disposal of contaminated dredged materials from waterways, 

 harbors or marinas that would be contaminated with toxic materials. Under 

 Title II, Section 201, NCAA, in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard, 

 and EPA is responsible for a comprehensive and continuing program of mon- 

 itoring and research regarding the effects of the dumping of material into 

 ocean waters. Under Section 202, NCAA is also responsible for a comprehen- 

 sive and continuing program of research with respect to the possible 

 long-range effects from exposure from contaminants This Act also assigns 

 the Army Corps of Engineers (COE) with the authority to issue permits for 

 the transportation of dredged materials for the purpose of disposal at sea 

 (ocean dumping) , "where it has been determined that the dumping will not 

 unreasonably degrade or endanger human health welfare or amenities, or the 

 marine environment, ecological systems or economic potential." In order 

 to establish the potential environmental impact or risk from disposal of 

 contaminated sediments, the Chief of Engineers is authorized to conduct a 

 comprehensive program of research, study and experimentation relating to 

 dredged material. 



In this study, we were unable to find any data on the concentrations of 

 TBI or the release of TBT absorbed to dredged sediments. However, the 

 U.S. Navy has indicated that they have conducted some standard elutriate 

 tests on a few selected harbor bottom sediments to estimate sediment re- 

 lease of TBI to the water column that would occur either during dredging 

 or disposal. 



The Ocean Assessments Division (CAD) in NCAA has been designated this 

 responsibility and studies were initiated during 1987 by the Status and 

 Trends Program. 



2.2.7 National Ocean Pollution Planning Act (NOPPA) 



The National Ocean Pollution Planning Act (NOPPA), P.L. 95-273, 1978 as 

 amended, directs the Administrator of NCAA, in consultation with the 

 Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive 

 Office of the President, and other appropriate Federal officials to 

 prepare and update biennially a comprehensive five-year plan for the 

 overall Federal effort in ocean pollution research and development and 

 monitoring (Section 4) . It further directs the Administrator of NCAA to 

 establish within NCAA a comprehensive, coordinated and effective ocean 

 pollution research and development and monitoring program consistent with 

 the five-year plan (Section 5) and to provide financial assistance for 

 research and development and monitoring projects or activities which are 

 needed to meet priorities of the five-year plan if these are not being 

 adequately addressed by any Federal department, agency, or instrumentality 

 (Section 6) . Finally, the Act directs that the Administrator of NCAA 

 shall ensure that results, findings and information regarding Federal 

 ocean pollution research and development and monitoring programs be 

 disseminated in a timely manner and useful form to Federal and non-federal 

 user groups having an interest in such information (Section 8) . 



II-5 



