55 



EPA is also charged with overseeing a comprehensive and 

 continuing program of sediment monitoring, including the 

 establishment of a clearinghouse of information on technology, 

 methods, and practices available for the remediation, 

 decontamination, and control of sediment pollution. Biennial 

 reports are due on this work. 



Newark Bay Ocean Dumping Permit 



One example of the problems associated with ocean disposal of 

 contaminated dredge material is the recent denial of a permit to 

 the New York-New Jersey Port Authority. In 1990, the Port 

 Authority applied for a permit to dump dredge material from Port 

 Newark/Elizabeth at the Mud Dump, an EPA-designated site located 

 six miles east of Sandy Hook, New Jersey. 



The Mud Dump Site has been an historic depository of clean 

 and contaminated dredge material from the New York area since 

 1914. However, with the advent of the Ocean Dumping Act, only 

 materials meeting ODA standards are disposed of at the Mud Dump. 

 The material has created a mound approximately 45 feet high and 

 two miles across that ironically has attracted fish to the area. 

 The Site is also a mile from an area known as 17 Fathoms, a 

 fertile ground for bluefish, bonita, fluke, and blackfish. 



Sediments in Newark Bay have been found to be contaminated to 

 some degree with dioxin, a by-product of herbicide manufacture. 

 Initial testing of the sediments at the Terminal site found 

 dioxin contamination, but at levels which were acceptable for 

 ocean dumping under the EPA criteria (approximately 10 parts per 

 trillion) . 



Even if the sediments meet EPA criteria, fishermen and 

 environmental groups are still concerned that the dioxin-laced 

 sediments will harm valuable clam, scallop, and crab fishing 

 grounds and threaten 17 Fathoms. They are not convinced that the 

 sediments will stay in place at the Mud Dump Site, especially 

 after strong winter storms. Although the Port Authority permit 

 would require capping the sediments with three feet of clean 

 material after ocean dumping operations ceased at the Mud Dump 

 Site, these citizens groups argue this might not be sufficient, 

 that the capping could come too late after marine organisms have 

 been exposed to the dioxin, and that turbulent storms could 

 jeopardize the integrity of the cap, further exposing marine 

 organisms. 



The original permit application indicated that the Port 

 Authority proposed to dredge the entire 39-berth Terminal 

 complex, resulting in approximately 200,000 cubic yards of dredge 

 material. The berths require annual dredging and permits issued 

 in the past have covered three-year periods. After public notice 

 was issued, the Port Authority modified its application so that 

 it covered only the 29 berths in the lower portion of the 

 Terminal area, known as Reaches B, C and D. 



On January 6, 1993, the COE tentatively issued a permit for 

 the $6.65 million dredging project, granting disposal authority 



