ation, and disposal; and alternatives to the ocean disposal of contaminated sediment, 

 including remediation and treatment measures. 



We have invited the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the New 

 Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, to come before us to 

 talk specifically about the Port Authority's application for a permit to dispose 

 dredge material from Newark Bay at a site off Sandy Hook, New Jersey. 



As most of you know, this permit application, which has been pending for over 

 three years, and whose approval is currently being withheld by the Corps and EPA 

 pending further contamination testing, has become a focal point in this debate over 

 the disposal. The policies and standards that are developed out of this particular 

 permit, and the discussions that surround it, may substantially affect future permit 

 applications from across the Nation. 



On the one hand, we must ensure that our Nation's ports continue to operate and 

 compete successfully for interstate and foreign commerce. Ports must be allowed to 

 conduct channel and berth improvements and maintenance as needed, in a timely 

 and cost-effective manner. 



However, especially as our abilities to detect contaminated sediment increases, we 

 must also focus our efforts on ways to deal with this material in a manner that will 

 not degrade our environment or cause health concerns for humans or marine life. 

 The Federal Government, and all the parties with a stake in this matter, must work 

 together to properly assess the character and extent of contaminated material, how 

 it should be handled, and where it should be disposed of. 



This hearing today is an attempt to bring the various parties together to provide 

 some oversight and focus on this matter. I have a feeling that the issue of contami- 

 nated sediment disposal will only become more prominent with time, and that we 

 must present the public with a true picture of the problem and develop manage- 

 ment practices that successfully deal with the issue. 



I thank our witnesses for coming before us here today and I look forward to their 

 testimony.. 



STATEMENT OF HON. CURT WELDON, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE 

 FROM PENNSYLVANIA 



Mr. Weldon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding. I would 

 like to ask unanimous consent both to submit my statement into 

 the record as well as the statement of Jack Fields, our ranking Re- 

 publican member on the full committee, and say that I would con- 

 gratulate you for holding this very important hearing. There are a 

 number of issues that we need to discuss as it relates to the dispos- 

 al of contaminated dredged material. This hearing today will help 

 us better crystallize the issue for the Congress. 



As someone who represents an area adjacent to the ports of 

 Philadelphia, I have extreme concerns about this issue and am 

 looking forward to both the discussion of the regulatory process, 

 the issue as it relates to New York and New Jersey, specifically, as 

 well as other methods that may, in fact, be employed to deal with 

 contaminated materials. I think that is going to be a very impor- 

 tant part of this hearing. So I congratulate you. 



I apologize to our witnesses in advance. The Chairman and I are 

 both, as well as Mr. Saxton, on the Armed Services Committee. We 

 have been in all-day hearings that just ended a short while ago 

 with Chairman Les Aspin and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, 

 Colin Powell. We will be reconvening at 3:00 and so if you see us 

 leave, it is not because we don't want to hear or be involved with 

 your testimony, but we have dual responsibilities. And, unfortu- 

 nately, this will be the only chance that we have to get both Secre- 

 tary Aspin and Chairman Powell before our committee to discuss 

 the Defense budget in this session. So, I apologize in advance for 

 having to leave, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. 



[Statement of Mr. Weldon follows:] 



