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situation with regard to dredging and ocean disposal of dioxin-contaminated sediments 

 in the Port Elizabeth/Port Newark area. 



PORT ELIZABETH/PORT NEWARK PERMIT 



The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has requested a permit from 

 the Corps to dredge Ports Elizabeth and Newark and dispose of the sediments at the 

 EPA-designated Mud Dump site 5.3 nautical miles east of Sandy Hook, New Jersey. 

 The Corps issued a public notice for ocean disposal of approximately 200,000 cubic 

 yards (cy) of material, which was the subject of EPA review under its MPRSA 

 responsibilities. Because sediments in the Newark area are contaminated with low 

 levels of dioxin, this project has been subject to careful review by the Corps, EPA, and 

 the public. 



Based on its review of the proposed project and relevant scientific information, 

 EPA determined that sediments which resulted in dioxin 28-day bioaccumulation in 

 worm tissue above 10 pptr were unacceptable for ocean dumping. The Agency 

 agreed that sediments which, upon biological testing, resulted in bioaccumulation 

 levels of 10 pptr or less of dioxin could be dumped at the Mud Dump site, provided 

 these sediments were then covered with a layer of clean sediments at least 1 meter 

 deep (i.e. "capped") so that the dioxin would not become bioavailable. 



On January 6, 1993 the Corps issued a permit which authorized the dredging 

 of a greater quantity of material than the 200,000 cy originally advertised in the public 

 notice. The revised number of 500,000 cy caused EPA concern as to whether the 



