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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 Mr. Weldon - What types of testing of dredged 

 material is the Corps involved with? 



ANSWER Mr. Rees: The Corps, in close consultation with EPA, has 

 developed a wide array of dredged material testing protocols 

 which are applied on a case-by-case basis, depending on the 

 characteristics of the sediment to be dredged, its source and 

 other factors. Effects-based testing with bioassays and sediment 

 chemical analysis are the predominant environmental measures that 

 we use to evaluate potential impact. The type(s) of bioassay 

 organisms used depend on whether the material is proposed for 

 disposal in marine waters, in freshwater, in upland sites or as a 

 beneficial use application, such as marsh development. We also 

 employ a wide range of additional tests to determine the 

 effectiveness of proposed management options where initial 

 testing indicates such would be reguired for acceptable disposal. 

 These tests include, as example, lab analyses of the reguired 

 thickness of a clean sediment cap to prevent bottom organisms 

 from burrowing down into the contaminated sediments and lab tests 

 to evaluate the effectiveness of management actions to prevent 

 leachate from migrating into groundwater aguifers. 



