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 EPA'S OCEAN DUMPING PROGRAM AND ROLE IN REVIEWING CORPS PERMITS 



The MPRSA was enacted in 1972 and generally prohibits the transportation of 

 material from the U.S. for the purpose of ocean dumping without a permit. The 

 MPRSA utilizes two primary mechanisms to control the impacts of ocean dumping: 

 permitting and site designation, monitoring, and management, each of which I will 

 discuss below. 



Permitting 



The Act divides permitting authority between the EPA and the U. S. Army 

 Corps of Engineers (the Corps), with EPA being responsible for permitting the dumping 

 of all material other than dredged material, and the Corps being responsible for 

 permitting ocean dumping of dredged material. Although EPA is not the permit-issuing 

 authority for dredged material, the MPRSA does establish a substantial role for EPA 

 with regard to evaluation of the environmental impacts of dredged material ocean 

 disposal. 



Under the Act, when the Corps determines to issue a permit for ocean disposal, 

 this determination is subject to EPA review and concurrence. In addition, the Act 

 directs EPA to establish criteria for use in reviewing permit applications, and directs 

 the Corps to utilize EPA's environmental impact criteria in evaluating ocean dumping 

 permit applications. If the Corps determines to issue a permit, the Act provides that 

 it must notify EPA of its intent to do so. EPA then evaluates the proposed permit 

 issuance, and either concurs (either entirely or with conditions) or nonconcurs in 



