395 



the Secretaries of Commerce, Interior, State, Defense, Agriculture, 

 Transportation, and Health, Education and Welfare, and with the 

 Atomic Energy Commission. 



He would consult with interested Federal and State agencies in re- 

 ^'iewing individual permit applications, and would be precluded from 

 issuing a permit where the Secretary of the Army determines that it 

 Nvould cause an unreasonable impairment of navigation. 



In administering the Act, EPA would be guided by the ultimate 

 objective of terminating all ocean dumping which is damaging to the 

 marine environment. 



We would adopt a precautionary, preventive approach, aimed at 

 terminating all dumping not clearly demonstrated to be safe. Ocean 

 dumping of materials clearly identified as harmful woidd be stopped 

 as soon as possible. Where existing information on the effects of ocean 

 dumping of particular materials is inconclusive, yet the best indica- 

 tions are that such materials may create adverse conditions when 

 dumped, the dumping of these materials would be phased out. 



If fiirther information conclusively proves that such dim dumping 

 does not damage the environment, it could be allowed to continue un- 

 der regulation. 



The dumping of some materials, such as chemical warfare materials 

 and toxic industrial wastes, would be stopped immediately. The dump- 

 ing of other materials, such as sewage sludge and solid waste, would 

 be discontinued as soon as possible, and no new sources of such dump- 

 ing would be allowed. 



It might prove unnecessary to discontinue the dumping of some 

 inert, nontoxic materials, such as unpolluted dredge spoil and con- 

 struction and demolition debris, although the dumping of such ma- 

 terials would be strictly regulated to prevent damage to estuarine and 

 coastal areas. 



As one example of how H.R. 4723 might be implemented, consider 

 the case of ocean disposal of sewage sludge. Some communities have 

 substantial financial investment in facilities and equipment for the 

 barging of digested sewage sludge to sea. To impose an immediate ban 

 on ocean dumping by these communities would be imeconomic and 

 possibly self-defeating where acceptable land-based disposal methods 

 are not immediately available. 



In such cases, EPA would temporarily allow the dumping to be con- 

 tinued but would require it to be phased out entirely within a reason- 

 able peiriod of time. No new sources of ocean disposal of sewage sludge 

 would be permitted. 



This would mean that commmiities already dumping at sea would 

 not be allowed to increase the volume of such dumping over current 

 levels or what the existing barging facilities will acconunodate. In 

 the case of municipalities which do not currently dump sewage sludge 

 at sea, they would not be allowed to start. 



H.R. 4723 would not place an absolute ban on the dumping of spe- 

 cified classes of materials, nor would it ban the dumping of materials 

 in specified waters within the coverage of the bill. Instead, the Ad- 

 ministrator w^ould be authorized, based on criteria developed by him 

 in consultation with other agencies, to permit, limit, or ban the dump- 

 ing of particular materials, in all or portions of the waters covered 

 by the bill, depending on all the circumstances of a particular case. 



