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do not meet EPA's ocean disposal criteria and require special 

 management or confined disposal. 



Current regulation of ocean dumping is adequate to protect the 

 environment. We do not need more laws. What we need is 

 better and more coordinated implementation. 



There is a lack of strong federal leadership to resolve 

 interagency conflicts and to issue dredging permits in a timely 



It is absolutely essential that the ocean dumping of dredged 

 material remain a viable disposal option. All disposal options 

 should be considered, with the decision based on 

 environmental, public health and economic considerations. 



The failure to dredge sediments from navigational channels and port 

 areas not only impedes commerce, but also results in navigational 

 safety and environmental hazards. 



Background 



The importance of ports to local, state and regional economies cannot be overstated. 

 Over 95 percent by volume and 75 percent of the world's traded goods by value are 

 transported in oceangoing vessels which require navigational access to and from U.S. 

 markets. Public ports serve as a vital conduit linking the United States to the world 

 marketplace. Port activities create an economic benefit for the nation, as well as for the 

 local port community. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that 

 in 1991 cargo activities port activities generated 1.5 million jobs, contributed S70 billion to 

 the gross national product, provided personal income of $52 billion, generated federal taxes 

 of $14 billion and state and local taxes of $5.3 billion, and over $11 billion in Customs 

 receipts. 



Due to natural siltation processes of rivers and estuaries, federal navigation channels 

 must be dredged if port operations are to continue and if harbors are to be improved to 

 handle the increased trade volumes expected in the coming decades. As the Operation 

 Desert Shield deployment demonstrated, modern port infrastructure, adequate channel 

 depth and maintenance dredging are indispensable not only to commercial waterborne 

 transportation, but also to national security interests. 



The Extent of Contamination 



I would like to put the problem of the dredging of contaminated sediments into 

 perspective. Approximately 400 million cubic yards of sediment are dredged annually in the 



