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The freeze or reduction would remain in effect until an acceptable 

 wasteload allocation could be developed. 



Once the "load allocation" is established, pollution prevention 

 strategies are implemented in addition to existing pollution prevention 

 strategies to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the water and sediment. 

 Although individual strategies may vary depending on site-specific factors, a 

 TMDL should typically include the reduction of pollutants from discrete 

 industrial, commercial, and municipal discharges, and the prevention of 

 more diffuse sources such as contaminated stormwater runoff from urban, 

 agricultural, and silvicultural areas. Some pollution prevention strategies 

 include the elimination of harmful chemicals from industrial and 

 commercial processes, and the retention of naturally vegetated areas such 

 as wetlands to reduce the magnitude and contamination of runoff flows 

 during rainfall. 



B. Protection of pristine areas 



Clean sites that have no contaminated sediments must be protected. 

 In order to effectively protect sites that are cleaner than the sediment 

 standards would require, the antidegradation policy of the CWA, which 

 requires that clean waters remain uncontaminated, should be amended to 

 clarify that it applies to sediment quality as well as water quality. 



C. Evaluation of materials for dredging and disposal, and better 

 management of contaminated materials 



Every year from 350 to 450 million cubic yards of materials -- 

 enough to fill a football field-sized pit 378 miles deep -- are dredged and 

 disposed to keep shipping channels and harbors open. A portion of these 

 materials is contaminated by toxic substances. Sediment quality criteria and 

 standards would enable testing of these materials, to see which ones are 

 "clean" and which may cause adverse effects. 



Once the distinction can be made between clean and contaminated 

 dredged materials, the focus can turn to beneficially reusing the clean 

 materials. Comprehensive pollution prevention strategies would help by 

 halting continuing contamination of sediments. The open water disposal of 

 contaminated materials must be eliminated. During the time that the 

 nation moves toward achieving that elimination, more effective sediment 

 control and management strategies are needed to minimize damage to the 

 environment. 



