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QUESTION: 



a. What is the status of the EPA's new sediment criteria? 



b. How will the criteria be used in EPA's regulatory regime for the disposal of 

 contaminated sediments? 



c. What do the economic analyses you are conducting indicate regarding the 

 potential economic impact of using the new criteria for regulating dredged 

 material disposal? 



ANSWER: 



Consistent with the recommendation of the November 1992 Science 

 Advisory Board (SAB) review, EPA is moving forward with Sediment Quality 

 Criteria (SQC) based on the Equilibrium Partitioning Approach (EQ-P) for five 

 non-ionic organic chemicals: Endrin, Dieldrin, Acenapthene, Fluoranthene, 

 and Phenanthrene. A Sediment Quality Criteria number for dioxin is not 

 currently available. EPA is currently revaluating the Water Quality Criteria 

 database for dioxin. 



The proposed criteria, technical basis, and site specific modification 

 documents completed Red Border Review on March 22, 1993. It is 

 expected that the package will be noticed in the Federal Register for public 

 comment this summer. Final revisions and publication of the criteria 

 package is anticipated in fiscal year 1994. EPA expects to publish, on 

 average, three additional criteria for non-ionic organic pollutants each year. 



EPA is also proceeding with the development of a methodology for deriving 

 SQC for divalent metals. The proposed methodology and first five criteria 

 will be presented to the SAB in the first quarter of fiscal year 1994. 

 Publication of five proposed SQC for divalent metals (Nickel, Copper, Lead, 

 Cadmium, Zinc) is expected in approximately two years. 



Field validation, verification, and uncertainty analyses for both criteria types 

 are ongoing. EPA is also developing a "users guide" for the derivation and 

 interpretation of the SQC. 



As described above, the sediment quality criteria are not yet finalized, nor 

 has their use for managing the disposal of contaminated sediment been fully 

 established. However, while these criteria are being finalized, EPA will seek 

 comment on their use in the ocean dumping program during the public 



