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Questions and Answers for the Record 



Hearing Before House MM&F-OGM&OCS on 30 March 1993 



Ocean Disposal of Contaminated Dredge Material 



Question from Chairman Ortiz - Does the Federal government have 

 adeguate resources to implement its ocean dumping 

 responsibilities as they relate to the disposal of dredged 

 material? 



ANSWER Mr. Rees: Currently, the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund 

 established by the Congress is adeguately funding dredged 

 material disposal for coastal projects. However, as more 

 stringent reguirements are placed on disposal of sediments for 

 coastal dredging projects, we can expect a greater burden on the 

 Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund's ability to keep pace. Ever 

 increasing sophistication of testing procedures and eguipment are 

 pushing testing costs ever higher. Some ports report that the 

 majority of their costs to keep berthing areas dredged is taken 

 up by testing rather than by the dredging itself. 



