315 



is, at best, costly and counterproductive regulatory delay and, in many cases, 

 regulatory gridlock. It is time to take a step back and identify more precisely 

 what we want to achieve; establish goals and reform the process in order to 

 attain our objectives in the most cost-efficient manner possible. The simply 

 fact is we have limited financial resources to meet seemingly limitless 

 environmental needs. 



A National Dredging Policy is necessary to cut across the current patch work 

 quilt of environmental laws and regulations applicable to dredged sediments. 



First, there must be a federal commitment to the need to dredge our 

 nation's navigation channels and harbors, and an understanding that a 

 well maintained, efficient navigation system benefits the entire nation. 

 Dredging our harbors in a timely and cost-effective manner is good 

 economic and environmental policy. It is neither environmentally 

 productive nor cost-effective to direct limited cleanup resources to the 

 large volume, but low level, pollutants usually found in navigation 

 channels. We should concentrate our efforts on safe management and 

 disposal practices which minimize environmental impacts. 



Second, our nation needs to develop a long term plan to identify and 

 disposal sites and to provide federal funds for the construction of those 

 sites. Unless environmentally protective, dredged material disposal 

 capacity is available, we will not be able to dredge out nation's 

 harbors. This is particularly important in areas where sediments may 

 be contaminated and, therefore, unsuitable for safe marine disposal. 



Finally, the regulatory process should be reformed to remove the 

 roadblocks to decisions and to streamline permit reviews. Unbiased 

 consideration should be given to aH disposal options based on a 

 relative assessment of environmental risk and overall cost. 



The National Dredging Policy should also include to following components. 

 If a federal or state resource agency opposes the preferred dredge disposal 

 alternative selected by the Corps, they should be required to identify 

 acceptable alternatives and to provide funding to cover any incremental costs 

 above the preferred alternative. The Water Resources Development Act of 

 1986 should be amended to establish a lead federal responsibility to assure 

 the availability and to pay the cost of providing adequate dredged material 

 disposal capacity to meet the needs of dredging our nation's commercial 

 harbors. Clean dredged material can, in many cases be a beneficial resource 

 and should be encouraged where funds can be identified. Decontamination 

 technology for contaminated sediments, although a desirable goal, has not 

 been demonstrated to be feasible or affordable on a broad scale; however, 



