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Guidelines, for disposal in inland and near coastal waters. 



To comply with its permit regulations, the Corps must 

 conclude that the project is not contrary to the public interest. 

 Public interest factors considered with respect to dredged 

 material contaminant-related impacts include wetlands, water 

 quality, water supply and conservation, safety, and fish and 

 wildlife impacts, and economics. 



To comply with the ocean dumping criteria, it must be 

 determined that disposal of dredged material will not 

 unreasonably degrade or endanger human health, welfare, 

 amenities, or the marine environment, ecological systems or 

 economic potentialities. The MPRSA requires testing in 

 conjunction with dredged material discharge activities in the 

 oceans, which includes testing when it is suspected that material 

 is contaminated. To satisfy the MPRSA requirements, the Corps 

 and EPA have developed a manual which provides testing guidance 

 entitled, "Evaluation of Dredged Material Proposed for Ocean 

 Disposal - Testing Manual", short title, "Green Book". The Green 

 Book utilizes biological testing, with chemical analysis as 

 necessary, to provide effects-based conclusions within a tiered 

 framework (more sophisticated testing, as necessary, for decision 

 making) regarding the potential for contaminant - related water 

 column, benthic toxicity and benthic bioaccumulation impacts. 



To comply with the Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines, it must be 

 determined that disposal of dredged material at the proposed 

 site: (1) is the least environmentally damaging, practicable 

 alternative; (2) complies with state and federally established 

 water quality and toxics standards; (3) will not result in 

 significant degradation of the aquatic environment; and, (4) will 

 be conducted and conditioned so as to minimize potential adverse 

 impacts to the aquatic ecosystem. The Section 404(b)(1) 

 Guidelines also require chemical and biological testing when 

 there is a reason to believe that material proposed for dredging 

 and disposal in inland and near coastal waters is contaminated. 

 In recognition of the need for greater consistency in testing 

 procedures between inland and near coastal waters and the oceans, 

 as well as between regions of the country, the Corps and EPA have 

 formed a working group that is completing the draft of a manual, 

 entitled, "Evaluation of Dredged Material For Discharge in Inland 

 and Near Coastal Waters - Testing Manual", short title, "Inland 

 Testing Manual", patterned after the Green Book. This draft will 

 be submitted to Corps and EPA field offices, as well as the EPA's 

 Science Advisory Board, for comment. The Corps and EPA intend to 

 publish the manual in the Federal Register for comment by the 

 fall or winter of 1993. 



Additionally, any proposed discharge of dredged material 

 regulated by the Corps under the CWA must be certified by the 

 state as complying with the applicable provisions of Section 401 

 of the CWA for all inland waters and near coastal waters. Most 

 coastal states also administer coastal zone management programs 



