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QUESTION: 



Is EPA developing a long-term strategy plan for the ocean disposal of both 

 clean and contaminated sediment? If so, what are some of the major 

 components of such a plan? 



For contaminated sediments, is EPA developing a management and 

 enforcement disposal strategy for these sediments? Will this criteria be 

 applicable to all waters of the U.S.? 



ANSWER: 



EPA and the Corps of Engineers have provided policy direction and guidance 

 to assist our field offices in developing long-term management plans for their 

 specific dredging projects. A number of regions, most notably San Francisco 

 Bay, are currently developing such site-specific plans. The goal of such 

 plans is to predict the dredged material disposal needs (e.g., volumes, 

 material characteristics, scheduling) and to assure appropriate disposal 

 alternatives are available. 



In November 1992, the EPA and Corps released guidance entitled 

 "Evaluating the Environmental Effects of Dredged Material Management 

 Alternatives - A Technical Framework," referred to as the Framework 

 Document. The Framework Document provides a consistent approach for 

 conducting suitability analyses of disposal alternatives under the Marine 

 Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, the Clean Water Act, and the 

 National Environmental Policy Act. This document addresses the evaluation 

 of effects of confined land disposal, confined aquatic disposal, unconfined 

 aquatic disposal, and beneficial uses, for both clean and contaminated 

 sediment. This document will be very useful to our field offices in 

 developing long-term management plans. 



EPA is developing a Contaminated Sediment Management Strategy which is 

 expected to be produced in final form this fiscal year. The strategy 

 describes EPA's understanding of the extent and severity of sediment 

 contamination, including uncertainties about the dimension of the problem, 

 and provides a cross program policy framework for reduction of ecological 

 and human health risks posed by sediment contamination. The strategy 

 describes specific actions that EPA will take under all existing authorities to 

 manage and dispose of contaminated sediment, and to generally reduce risks 

 posed by contaminated sediment in all waters of the U.S. The strategy also 

 describes various uses of chemical specific sediment quality criteria by all of 

 the Agency's program offices. The proposed sediment quality criteria will be 



